Hazel Joyce Erickson, a Longview pioneer, died peacefully April 23, 2009, at Canterbury Inn at the age of 96.
She was born Nov. 12, 1912, on a farm in Spooner, Minn., to Frederick and Hanna Rydberg. In 1924 she traveled to Longview with her parents and her brother Rudy in a Model T. After tough years on the farm, the men of the family found work in the new Long-Bell lumber mill. Hazel was a member of the class of 1928, the first to hold graduation exercises in the new R.A. Long High School. It was her honor to speak about R.A. Long's gift of the school to the city.
In 1935 she married John E. Erickson, also a Longview pioneer. They raised their four children in the home John built on 24th Ave. When her youngest child started school, Hazel worked as a secretary to the superintendent of Kelso Public Schools, retiring in 1972.
After retirement, she and John enjoyed dancing, gardening, playing bridge and spending winters in Mesa, Ariz. They also traveled widely and established close relationships with family in the "old countries," Hazel's Sweden and John's Norway. A special interest of her later years was writing. Among her five books is her autobiography, "My Life in the Amazing 20th Century," a treasured document of family history.
Hazel is survived by her daughter, Linda in Tampa, Fla., her son, Tom and his wife, Christine in Vancouver and her daughter, Eileen and her husband, Albert Swanson of Seattle. She dearly loved her grandchildren, Amy and Stephen Swanson and Jeffrey (Laura) and Julie Erickson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John, in 2006; and her son, Stephen, who died in 1971 while on active duty as a pilot in the Marine Corps.
The family extends grateful thanks to the staff of Canterbury Inn who provided warm and caring assistance to Hazel and John from June of 2004.
All are invited to a service in celebration of her life at 11 a.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church, where she and John were members for more than 80 years.
Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 2021 Washington Way or a charity of choice.
Arrangements are by Steele Chapel at Longview Memorial Park & Crematory.
She was born Nov. 12, 1912, on a farm in Spooner, Minn., to Frederick and Hanna Rydberg. In 1924 she traveled to Longview with her parents and her brother Rudy in a Model T. After tough years on the farm, the men of the family found work in the new Long-Bell lumber mill. Hazel was a member of the class of 1928, the first to hold graduation exercises in the new R.A. Long High School. It was her honor to speak about R.A. Long's gift of the school to the city.
In 1935 she married John E. Erickson, also a Longview pioneer. They raised their four children in the home John built on 24th Ave. When her youngest child started school, Hazel worked as a secretary to the superintendent of Kelso Public Schools, retiring in 1972.
After retirement, she and John enjoyed dancing, gardening, playing bridge and spending winters in Mesa, Ariz. They also traveled widely and established close relationships with family in the "old countries," Hazel's Sweden and John's Norway. A special interest of her later years was writing. Among her five books is her autobiography, "My Life in the Amazing 20th Century," a treasured document of family history.
Hazel is survived by her daughter, Linda in Tampa, Fla., her son, Tom and his wife, Christine in Vancouver and her daughter, Eileen and her husband, Albert Swanson of Seattle. She dearly loved her grandchildren, Amy and Stephen Swanson and Jeffrey (Laura) and Julie Erickson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John, in 2006; and her son, Stephen, who died in 1971 while on active duty as a pilot in the Marine Corps.
The family extends grateful thanks to the staff of Canterbury Inn who provided warm and caring assistance to Hazel and John from June of 2004.
All are invited to a service in celebration of her life at 11 a.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church, where she and John were members for more than 80 years.
Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 2021 Washington Way or a charity of choice.
Arrangements are by Steele Chapel at Longview Memorial Park & Crematory.
Hazel Joyce Erickson, a Longview pioneer, died peacefully April 23, 2009, at Canterbury Inn at the age of 96.
She was born Nov. 12, 1912, on a farm in Spooner, Minn., to Frederick and Hanna Rydberg. In 1924 she traveled to Longview with her parents and her brother Rudy in a Model T. After tough years on the farm, the men of the family found work in the new Long-Bell lumber mill. Hazel was a member of the class of 1928, the first to hold graduation exercises in the new R.A. Long High School. It was her honor to speak about R.A. Long's gift of the school to the city.
In 1935 she married John E. Erickson, also a Longview pioneer. They raised their four children in the home John built on 24th Ave. When her youngest child started school, Hazel worked as a secretary to the superintendent of Kelso Public Schools, retiring in 1972.
After retirement, she and John enjoyed dancing, gardening, playing bridge and spending winters in Mesa, Ariz. They also traveled widely and established close relationships with family in the "old countries," Hazel's Sweden and John's Norway. A special interest of her later years was writing. Among her five books is her autobiography, "My Life in the Amazing 20th Century," a treasured document of family history.
Hazel is survived by her daughter, Linda in Tampa, Fla., her son, Tom and his wife, Christine in Vancouver and her daughter, Eileen and her husband, Albert Swanson of Seattle. She dearly loved her grandchildren, Amy and Stephen Swanson and Jeffrey (Laura) and Julie Erickson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John, in 2006; and her son, Stephen, who died in 1971 while on active duty as a pilot in the Marine Corps.
The family extends grateful thanks to the staff of Canterbury Inn who provided warm and caring assistance to Hazel and John from June of 2004.
All are invited to a service in celebration of her life at 11 a.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church, where she and John were members for more than 80 years.
Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 2021 Washington Way or a charity of choice.
Arrangements are by Steele Chapel at Longview Memorial Park & Crematory.
She was born Nov. 12, 1912, on a farm in Spooner, Minn., to Frederick and Hanna Rydberg. In 1924 she traveled to Longview with her parents and her brother Rudy in a Model T. After tough years on the farm, the men of the family found work in the new Long-Bell lumber mill. Hazel was a member of the class of 1928, the first to hold graduation exercises in the new R.A. Long High School. It was her honor to speak about R.A. Long's gift of the school to the city.
In 1935 she married John E. Erickson, also a Longview pioneer. They raised their four children in the home John built on 24th Ave. When her youngest child started school, Hazel worked as a secretary to the superintendent of Kelso Public Schools, retiring in 1972.
After retirement, she and John enjoyed dancing, gardening, playing bridge and spending winters in Mesa, Ariz. They also traveled widely and established close relationships with family in the "old countries," Hazel's Sweden and John's Norway. A special interest of her later years was writing. Among her five books is her autobiography, "My Life in the Amazing 20th Century," a treasured document of family history.
Hazel is survived by her daughter, Linda in Tampa, Fla., her son, Tom and his wife, Christine in Vancouver and her daughter, Eileen and her husband, Albert Swanson of Seattle. She dearly loved her grandchildren, Amy and Stephen Swanson and Jeffrey (Laura) and Julie Erickson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John, in 2006; and her son, Stephen, who died in 1971 while on active duty as a pilot in the Marine Corps.
The family extends grateful thanks to the staff of Canterbury Inn who provided warm and caring assistance to Hazel and John from June of 2004.
All are invited to a service in celebration of her life at 11 a.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church, where she and John were members for more than 80 years.
Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 2021 Washington Way or a charity of choice.
Arrangements are by Steele Chapel at Longview Memorial Park & Crematory.
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