Herman Ericksen (1879-1947)

ERICKSEN, MURCH, HOLT

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:13

From Nevada Evening Journal September 25, 1947 (page 4)

Funeral Rites Held Saturday for Herman Ericksen

Story City, Sept. 25--Funeral rites for Herman Ericksen were held in the St. Petri Lutheran church in Story City Saturday afternoon, following a prayer service at the home, with Rev. S. T. Nelson in charge. Mrs. Robert Hemanson sang "Lead Kindly Light" a favorite hymn of the deceased. The local American Legion Post of which Mr. Ericksen was a member attended the service in a body. Serving as casket bearers were all close neighbors namely: H. L. Kreutner, B. E. Gandrup, J. H. Dale, Lee Doolittle, Sherman Holm and Franklin Booth.

Herman Ericksen, son of Halvor and Gjorgine Ericksen, was born in Stavanger, Norway on June 11, 1879, and passed away in his home at Story City at 9:40 p. m. Tuesday, September 16, 1947 at the age of 68 years, three months and five days.

He came to America at the age of seven with his mother and younger sister, Henrietta, to join the father and two older sisters, Mary and Minnie, who had preceded them to make a home in Iowa near Halvor's brother, Thomas Holt.

Herman received his early schooling in Story City and worked on several local farms during the summers. He later worked at the hotel and livery owned and operated by N. M. Nelson, and at railroading included laying part of the M. and St. L. tracks on the local route between Story City and Marshalltown. He joined the United States Navy in 1902 which became his life career, being connected with it for past 45 years.

In 1907 he was married to Caro M. Murch in Norfolk, Virginia, where Herman was attending a Naval training school and studying to be a machinist. He had met the girl who became his wife several years previously when the ship on which he was stationed, the U. S. S. Nevada, was sent to her native state of Maine to help celebrate a historical event.

The couple resided in Virginia for three years until Herman finished his schooling and was again sent to sea, where he steadily advanced to the rating of Chief Petty Officer. Mrs. Ericksen, accompanied by her mother and baby girl, Thelma Lucy, returned to Maine and in 1911 when Herman was on leave a home was purchased in Hampden, Me., where Herman Carroll was born.

After completing 30 years of honorable service in the U. S. Navy of active and reserve duty Herman was transferred to inactive duty, subject to recall at any time.

Meanwhile the home in Maine was disposed of in 1925 and Herman with his wife and son came to Iowa to be near his aged mother, Thelma Lucy, having passed away. He was soon offered the position of head of the machine shop at the heating plant at Iowa State college at Ames. The family then moved to Ames and home was purchased at 907 Grand avenue.

At the time of the second World War Herman was recalled to active service and stationed at the Naval training school at Iowa State college at Ames, in the Executive Department. After this he was returned to inactive duty, a veteran of two World Wars.

In 1944 the Ericksens Sr. sold their Ames home and came to Story City to live, purchasing their present home at 918 Washington from the Oscar Gibsons in June 1945, a home which has been so dearly loved by them both. They joined the St. Petri Lutheran church by letter, Herman having been confirmed there as a youngster by Rev. Jacob Tanner, and Herman served faithfully on the finance committee the past year.

Herman was a member of the Masonic, Elk and Legion orders.

He leaves to treasure his memory his beloved wife and son, his wife Lucille, and four grandchildren Herman Wayne, Theresa Louise, Audrey Ruth and Thor Langworthy, besides another grandchild Elaine Charlotte, by Herman Jr's former wife, four first cousins, Mrs. Amanda Hold Caldwell and Miss Anna Marie Holt of Boone, Mrs. Theodora Holt Pieth of Ft. Dodge and Mrs. Teckla Holt Swanson of Seattle, Washington; and several second cousins.

Herman's wife thinks one of the finest tributes paid to him was made by an officer shipmate who later became an Admiral in the U. S. Navy--Herman Ericksen is an exceptionally good machinist--industrious, conscientious and thoroughly trustworthy, sober and obedient and natural leader of men, with many qualifications far exceeding the average and during my twelve years of service to date I have never met with one better qualified to carry on.