Earl Duane Erickson, 84

Earl Duane Erickson, 84, passed into eternal peace on Aug. 3, 2014.

Memorial services will be held on Friday, Aug. 8, 2014, at 10 a.m. in the Trinity Lutheran Church in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, with interment following in the Grandview Cemetery.

He was born in Bowman County, N.D., on Sept 1, 1929, to Knute and Helen Erickson. Following his high school graduation, he entered the Army in 1951, serving until 1953.

In 1954, He married Ruby Padgett of Bonners Ferry. He then attended Dickonson State College in Dickonson, N.D., teaching in multiple rural locations in North Dakota. During this time, they welcomed their two sons, Leland and Ronald. They then moved to Pasco, Wash., where Earl finished his education and music degrees and their daughter, Terri, was born.

After relocating to Bonners Ferry, he continued his teaching and working in the community. He and his family spent two years in Canada, returning to Idaho where he worked as a herdsman for Paradise Dairy. In 1976, Earl and Ruby purchased the Chic ‘n’ Chop Restaurant where he continued to work until retiring in 2005.

Earl loved to make people smile and took great pleasure in sharing his vocal musical talents in all of the communities in which he lived.

He will always be remembered for his generosity and his love for lutefisk and lefse! He will be greatly missed.

Earl is survived by his wife, Ruby; sons, Leland and his wife Linda and Ronald and his wife Edith; daughter Terri Henderson and her husband David; 8 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren with one on the way. He is also survived by his brother Marion and his wife Lucille, stepbrother David and his wife Connie Padgett, stepsister Irene and husband Jim Schultz.

Earl is proceeded in death by his parents Knute and Helen Erickson, brother Myron, and brother Knute, Jr.

Family and friends are invited to sign Earl’s book at www.bonnersferryfuneralhome.com

Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Bonners Ferry Funeral Home.