Gerald Edward Erickson's Obituary
GERALD E. ERICKSONOur beloved Jerry Erickson passed away last Friday, March 21, 2008, at the Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle. He was born at Saint Joseph Hospital in Tacoma on Jan. 17, 1944. The only child of Virginia and Edward Erickson, Jerry is survived by his wife Connie Erickson, and his mother Virginia. His dad Edward passed away in June, 2001.When Jerry was young, his family moved to California due to his father's jobs. There, he was raised from kindergarten to high school. As a teenager, Jerry had been active and resourceful doing a variety of clerical work at JC Penney, and also worked at a jewelry shop for the rich people in Hollywood, CA. After graduating from high school, he worked for 2 years at the laboratory in Pomona Valley Hospital where his father was the Hospital Administrator. On March 3, 1966, he entered the US Army and took a Training Course in Medical Laboratory Procedure at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. A certificate was granted on October 28, 1966. During his 3 years of active duty, he was in Vietnam serving as a Medical Specialist SP5. While he was there, he worked at the MASH hospital, and also served as a combat medic from 1967-1968. He had 15 young men in his unit. As a combat medic, while tending to the dying and wounded men, he could not save one of his best friends who was fatally wounded and died in his arms. That incident affected Jerry so profoundly that he suffered from recurring nightmares long after the war ended. He would often cry and talk about that ordeal in his sleep. He went to Alabama to inform the parents of the fate of his deceased friend. Later, in 1969, he helped in transporting the deceased and wounded to San Francisco, CA. His active duty ended on March 2, 1969. Jerry remained inactive from March 3, 1969 to 1972. In 1969, while he was inactive, Jerry studied for his associate degree in Medical Tech. at Mount San Antonio College. Then, he continued his education at California State University, where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Health in Sept., 1971. On March 2, 1972, he obtained an Honorable Discharge from the US Army. After college, Jerry worked as an Environmental Health Specialist and a Public Health Advisor in San Luis Obispo County in California from 1971 to 1989. Jerry first got married in 1973, but got divorced in 1984. While working in California, Jerry had gained the trust and respect of his supervisors and co-workers due to his professionalism, hard work, integrity, love, and compassion for people. He also had a great sense of humor. While he was deciding whether to move back to Washington State to be close to his aging parents, he met Connie during a visit in 1988. He eventually married her in Feb., 1992. Jerry started working in Dec., 1990 for the State of Washington, Department of Social & Health Services as a Public Health Advisor 2. In 1991, a Public Health Advisor was needed in Yakima County. DSHS wanted to transfer Jerry to that county, but Jerry did not want to go because he was planning to marry Connie, who, at that time, was working as an accountant at the University of Washington. Luckily, a good friend named John Huber offered to move to another position, which allowed Jerry to take over and thus stay in Pierce County. Jerry had gained plenty of friends while working for the DSHS. But due to an illness, in Nov. 2003, he finally had to retire. Jerry was well loved by his supervisors and co-workers, many of whom became his close friends, and who are now present here to bid him a final farewell. Jerry loved to travel. During his younger years, he had traveled to many parts of the continental US, as well as to the Bahamas. His last trip was a cruise to the Inside Passage in Alaska in Sept., 2007. Jerry loved nature and animals. When Connie married him, he owned a big orange cat named Garfield. . Later on, Garfield passed away due to old age. Jerry later got a black, big-eyed kitten that he named Babyhead, who is now 11 years old. He loved to watch The History Channel and Animal Planet on TV, which entertained him so much when he was sick. Jerry will always be remembered for his kindness and compassion for people, his sense of humor, his professionalism and work ethic, and a lifelong dedication to his work.
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