Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Thomas Erickson

IRONWOOD, Mich. - Thomas Erickson, 98, of Ironwood, died peacefully early Tuesday morning, Feb. 7, 2017, at Westgate Nursing, Rehabilitation and Assisted Living Community in Ironwood.

He was born Sept. 12, 1918, in Ironwood, son of the late Thorval and Signe (Hogan) Erickson, attended Ironwood schools and graduated from Luther L. Wright High School in 1936. He was employed in construction work in the Ironwood area prior to attending tool making school at Luther L. Wright, then worked at Twin City Iron Works as working foreman in the machine shop. For the war effort during World War II, he worked at Chrysler Corporation in Detroit as toolmaker/lead man. Returning to Ironwood, Tom started Erickson's Custom Mill Works, operating the business for 50 years. He then worked at White Pine Copper Co. for 27 years, retiring as mill foreman in 1980.

Tom was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Ironwood and was active in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod for 65 years. He was a life member of Lake States Saw Filers and past member of Lake Copper Toastmasters International. He was also chairman of the Class of 1936 reunion committee for 50 years. He helped build Immanuel Lutheran Church at Little Girl's Point and assisted in the development of lake shore properties at Little Girl's Point.

He was married to Eleanor Flink on July 26, 1941, at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Ironwood. Eleanor preceded him in death on Sept. 29, 1992.

He then was married to Dorothy Mickelson Olson on Nov. 17, 2000, at the First Presbyterian Church in Ironwood by the Rev. Peter Bartlett. Dorothy preceded him in death on Nov. 12, 2016.

Surviving are a brother, Roderick (Rochelle), Little Girl's Point; daughter-in-law, Joyce (Henry) Habitzrther, Ironwood Township; sister-in-law, Donna Erickson, Shelby Township; stepdaughters, Lee Ann (Rev. Peter) Bartlett, Ironwood, and Carolyn (Ric) Riniker, Platteville, Wis .; four stepgrandchildren; nine stepgreat-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Besides his parents and wives, Tom was predeceased by his son, Bruce; brothers, Henry, Lawrence and Roy; sisters, Jean Erickson and Annette Talaska; sisters-in-law, Jean Erickson and Ruth Erickson; and brother-in-law, Ed Talaska.

Funeral services will be held Friday, Feb. 10, at 11 a.m., preceded by visitation at 10 a.m., at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Little Girl's Point, with Pastor Kurt Brandon officiating.

Luncheon will follow in the church fellowship hall.

Committal and interment will be in Sunset Acres Cemetery, Ironwood Township, in the spring.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Pastoral Education Fund.

Arrangements have been entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home Inc., Ironwood. Condolences may be expressed online at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.

 
 
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