John C. (Jack) Erickson, age 80, formerly from Darlington and Monroe died on Friday, January 30, 2015 at the Bloomfield Health Center in Dodgeville, after many years of illness. He was born on April 15, 1934, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, the son of Martin and Mary (Kammerud) Erickson. He attended Darlington High School with the class of 1952.
In 1953, he volunteered for the US Army and received basic training at Ft Leonard Wood, MO. He was a member of the 6th Armored Division 8th Army 332nd 194th Combat Engineers. After receiving orders for Korea, he was bused to Ft Lewis, Washington, where he left on a ship to Alaska and then to Japan. The trip took 31 days.
Upon arriving at Sasobo, Japan, he received instructional training to read blueprints and to be a heavy equipment operator to building bridges, roads and pre-fab homes. He later was sent to Inchon, South Korea, on the 38th Parallel to build housing, roads and bridges. He also learned how to destroy them to prevent the enemy from using them. He was promoted to Corporal.
While in Korea, Jack contracted hepatitis and was sent to a hospital in Seoul, Korea and later transferred to a military hospital in Tokyo, Japan, for six months. He was sent back to Ft Lewis, WA, where he was honorably discharged in 1955. He was awarded medals for Korean Service, National Defense Service, United Nations Service, and Good Conduct Medal.
He continued to work in the local area as a heavy equipment operator. On April 27, 1957, he married Eleanor M. Pickett. They farmed briefly in the Gratiot and Argyle areas before moving to Waukesha, WI, where he worked at the Waukesha Foundry and the Star Line Construction Co. He was the construction foreman at the Brookfield Shopping Mall, the first mall in the Milwaukee area.
They were blessed with three children; Bernadine, Geraldine and Michael, and returned to the Darlington area. He continued to work in construction. They later divorced. Jack moved to Monroe, and married Teresa (Tess) Will in 1977.
In 1986 he became ill and was admitted to the Veteran's Hospital in Tomah, WI, where he suffered a series of seizures, strokes and memory loss, and later developed epilepsy. He has been in several health facilities with the latest at the Cornerstone Foundation in Barneveld, from 1997 until November of 2014.
Jack was a lifetime member of the Argyle American Legion Post 251, and was very proud to have served his country in Korea.
Jack loved strawberries, country music, the Milwaukee Brewers, Green Bay Packers and the UW Badger Football team. He was very proud to watch his grandson Alex Erickson play on TV and read about the Darlington Redbirds.
He is survived by his children/grandchildren; Bernadine (Bruce) of Avalon, WI, Shanna (Andy) McCutchun and Tyler; Geraldine (Tom) Hammes of LaCrosse, Jessica and Erin of LaCrosse; Michael (Linda) Erickson of Darlington, Mitchell, Alex and Brett. He is also survived by sisters, Patricia (Herbert) Baumgartner of Gratiot, and Catherine McCoy of Cottage Grove, several nieces and nephews, and ex-wives Eleanor Erickson of Darlington, and Tess Erickson of Monroe. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law Robert McCoy of Madison.
Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday, February, 3, 2015 at 11:00 A.M. at St. Clare of Assisi Parish, St. Victor Catholic Church, with Fr. Michael E. Klarer Celebrant. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Monroe, with full military rites performed by Argyle American Legion Post 251.
A visitation will be February 3rd from 9:00 A.M. until time of service at the church. Badger attire is requested.
Shriner-Hager-Gohlke Funeral Home is serving the family.