ERICKSON, Viva (1918-1993)

ERICKSON

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 2/23/2007 at 23:26:37

Viva Erickson

A private burial will take place Thursday, April 29. at Buckingham Cemetery near Traer, for Viva Erickson, 74, of Manchester, Ga. She died Monday, April 26, 1993, at Meriwether Memorial Hospital in Warm Springs, Ga. A memorial service is to be held at the chapel of Cox Funeral Home Friday, April 30, in Manchester, Ga. Overton Funeral Home in Traer is in charge of local arrangements.

Viva Erickson was born Sept. 27,1918, in Traer, Ia., the daughter of John and Egidie (Slouberg) Erickson. Following her graduation from Traer in 1936, she attended what is now the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.

Upon receiving her degree, she taught briefly, then served her country, training at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D. C. She served with the Three Hundred’s General Hospital Unit as a physical therapist both in North Africa and Italy for the duration of World War II. After her return to the U.S., she worked briefly with the Veterans Hospital in Des Moines.

Polio was then an epidemic, and she applied to take six months post-graduate work at the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation, moving to Warm Springs in January 1947. She retired from the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation in March of 1986.

During her 40 years work with the Foundation and the Institute, she was in charge of several units and lastly, department head of Physical Therapy. Upon retirement, she continued to be professionally active as a consultant with Meriwether Memorial Hospital, Meriwether Memorial Nursing Home, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Columbus, Ga., and the Chattahochee Valley Health Center of Manchester.

Viva was preceded in death by her parents, and by one brother, Bruce.

She is survived by one aunt, Bentina Erickson of Evanston.

Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of choice.