Lucile Petersen Erickson

Memorial Services for Lucile P. Erickson will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Friday, July 2, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Dale Lambert, officiating. Private family inurnment will be held at Prairie Home Cemetery prior to the services.

Lucile Petersen Erickson passed away on Monday, June 14, 2010 in Denver, Colorado at the age of 88 years. Lucile was born on July 24, 1921, on a farm in Ruben Township, Harlan County, near Orleans, Nebraska, the second of seven children born to John Herman and Emma Marie (Ibsen) Petersen. During her school years she, her older sister, Irene and their younger brothers and sisters walked the two miles each way to school. In cold weather, their dad took them to school in a horse-drawn wagon. Lucile graduated from Huntley High School in the same class with Irene, having been advanced a grade.

As they grew up, Lucile and Irene often sang duets for events. Lucile worked in Holdrege at the Ordorff Bakery after high school graduation where she met Vernon Erickson. They were married on April 2, 1940. They lived on and operated farms south and east of Holdrege until they retired to a home on 7th Avenue in Holdrege in 1976. Lucile was well known as a wonderful cook and she cooked professionally at the elementary school in Funk, Nebraska and the high school in Holdrege.

Lucile and Vernon's daughter, Janet Kay, was born on December 28, 1940. Their son, Jerald Lee, was born on July 20, 1945. They delighted in their children, who were the center of their lives, with games and fun frequently in the works. As a family they enjoyed trips to the Black Hills of South Dakota, the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and the Grand Tetons. There were many Sunday fishing trips and lots of long drives to surrounding areas of Nebraska as a family to store in our memory banks. Vernon passed away on April 17, 1984.

Granddaughters, Cheryl Lyn and Christie Lee were cherished by Lucile as only she could do. She knitted Barbie outfits and afghans for them, cuddled and played, and made wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations as long as she was in her house in Holdrege. When Cherie and Christie each married, John Knibbe and Randy George were welcomed and loved as her own. Eventually, Thanksgiving celebrations moved to Colorado because of family work commitments and she took the train or airplane for those and other 10-day visits.

When the great-grandchildren came, she renewed her cuddling skills and made more heirloom afghans. Kelsey was born in 1991, Erin in 1994, Kyle in 1997 and Erica in 1999.

Jerry and Janet took Lucile on trips to Holland/Germany/Denmark/Sweden, across the US, to Canada and Arizona, and all around Colorado in the 1980s and 1990s. She loved every mile and every step. Traveling and geography were great interests of hers and going through those pictures were a pleasure for a long time.

In 1996, Lucile decided that it was time to move closer to the kids and in May of 1997, she moved to an apartment in Windsor Gardens in Denver, where she lived until March of 2008. At that time she moved to Apple Ridge Assisted Living in Denver, where she lived until her final illness.

Besides her parents and husband, Vernon, Lucile was preceded in death by her sisters: Irene Davidson, Blanche Gbur, and Dorothy Sundquist; and her brother: Darrel Petersen.

Lucile is survived by her children: Janet Hixon of Aurora, Colorado, Jerald Erickson of Littleton, Colorado; grandchildren: Cheryl (Hixon) Knibbe and her husband, John of Foxfield, Colorado, Christie (Hixon) George and her husband, Randal of Colorado Springs, Colorado; great-grandchildren: Kelsey, Erin, Kyle, and Erica Knibbe of Foxfield; one brother, Donald Petersen and one sister, LaDonna Weismann both of Holdrege.

There will be no visitation as the family is honoring her wish for cremation.

A memorial has been established in her memory and kindly suggested to the Alzheimer's Association.

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

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.