Dewaine R Erickson

Funeral Services for Dewaine R. Erickson will be held on Saturday, November 29, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at the Holdrege Memorial Homes Chapel in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Murray Jones officiating. Following the traditional funeral, the family is honoring Dewaine's wish for cremation and a private family inurnment will be held at a later date in the Wilcox Cemetery in Wilcox, Nebraska.

Dewaine Ray Erickson, 92 years of age, of Wilcox, Nebraska, passed away on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 at Holdrege Memorial Homes in Holdrege. He was born on November 19, 1922 on a farm southwest of Wilcox, the youngest of five children born to Wilber and Sarah "May" (Snell) Erickson. He received his primary education from the Wilcox Public School and graduated from Wilcox High School with the class of 1940. He then pursued higher education at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in the fall of 1940. Before he could graduate, he was drafted and served his country in the Army Air Corps until his honorable discharged in 1946, where he then went back to UNL and graduated in 1948, with a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture.

On September 11, 1949, Dewaine was united in marriage to Bonnie Nadine Sanderson in Lincoln, Nebraska and to this family four children were born: Ann Elaine, David Dewaine, Ellen Gay and Emily Sue. The family made their home on a farm south of Wilcox where they engaged in farming. In 1960, the family moved to the Snell family home in Wilcox, where Dewaine began his longtime career at the First National Bank of Wilcox until his retirement in 1994. Dewaine and Bonnie celebrated their 65th Wedding Anniversary on September 11, 2014.

Dewaine also enjoyed compiling information for family history, socializing with friends at the local coffee shop and spending time with his grandchildren. He was very active in the community and was a member of the Wilcox Methodist Church. He also was a member of the Wilcox School Board, the Wilcox Chamber of Commerce, the Lions Club, the Wilcox Cemetery Association, American Legion Post #377 and the VFW. He served as Village Mayor of Wilcox and on the Wilcox Town Board. He was active as a volunteer at Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska and was a past board member for Holdrege Memorial Homes.

Dewaine was preceded in death by his parents, siblings: Lenora Lundquist, Donald Erickson, Gilbert Erickson and twin sister, Elaine Osler; children: Ann Jurgens and David Erickson.

He is survived by his loving wife, Bonnie, of Holdrege; daughters: Ellen Richards and her husband, Jon of Ashland, Nebraska and Emily Lyons and her husband, Jeff of Wilcox; seven grandchildren; two great grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Friday, November 28, 2014 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Holdrege Memorial Homes Chapel in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Dewaine's honor will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Bauer-Torrey & Mach Funeral Home in Alma is in charge of the arrangements.