ERICSON, Ralph Thomas, 1933-2011

ERICSON, SCARFF, MCWHIRTER, BARR, WIETER, LUZADDER, THOMPSON, STUTZMAN

Posted By: Betty Hootman (email)
Date: 2/16/2012 at 20:27:16

Fairfield (IA) Ledger
Page 6, Col. 5-6
Tuesday, 15 February 2011

Ralph Ericson

Ralph Ericson, 77, of Lockridge, died Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, at Henry County Health Center in Mount Pleasant.

A funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel in Mount Pleasant, with the Rev. Bill Wenig officiating. A committal service, with full military rites, will be at White Oak Chapel. Interment will be in White Oak Cemetery.

Visitation will begin at noon Thursday at the memorial chapel, where the family will be present from 5-7-p.m.

Memorials may be directed to White Oak Cemetery.

Online condolences may be left at www.olsenpowell.com.

Mr. Ericson was born Sept. 20, 1933, near Rome, Iowa, the son of Bernard and Nellie Scarff Ericson.

Mr. Ericson graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1952. He retired from Champion Spark Plug in Burlington after working for more than 35 years as a machinist. He also was a farmer, raising Black Angus cows.

Mr. Ericson served in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign War Post No. 2561, American Legion Post No. 58, Assembly of God Church and Mississippi Valley Stock Car Club.

Mr. Ericson enjoyed watching NASCAR and sprint car races and racing stock cars at many local tracks.

Survivors include one daughter, Cindy McWhirter and husband Shannon of Fairfield; three sisters, Betty Barr of Mount Pleasant, Evelyn Wieter of Largo, Fla., and Donna Luzadder of Hannibal, Mo.; one brother, Ed Ericson of Grand Island, Neb.; one grandson; and two stepgrandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four sisters, Grace Thompson, Mae Stutzman, Helen Ericson and one in infancy; and two brothers in infancy.