Preceding Eric in death is his first wife, Joyce Erickson his parents, Harold and Martha Erickson his brother, Harold Erickson a stepson, Lonnie Shippy and a stepson-in-law, David Semmler. They began spending winters in Oro Valley in 2014.Įric will be remembered fondly by all who knew him for his sense of humor, his catch phrases for every situation, his love of family, his loyalty to friends, his patriotism, and his adventurous spirit. Eric eventually traded in his wings for wheels, and he and his wife Frieda spent the past several summers exploring the “lower 48” in their motor coach. He also flew humanitarian relief missions for the United Nations in the African country of Chad. Never one to sit still for long or to pass up an adventure, Eric flew for the Iditarod Air Force transporting mushers, sled dogs, and supplies along the 1,100 mile trail between Anchorage and Nome. Eric loved nothing more than showing off the beauty of Alaska to friends and family while flying his beloved Cessna. Retirement did not lessen his love of flying and it did not keep him out of the cockpit. He spent most of his retirement in the land of the midnight sun, splitting his time between Wolf Lake and Seldovia. He rose to the rank of Captain, and continued to fly internationally until he retired in 2003.Įric lived for many years near Spokane, Washington, before moving to Alaska.

After his time in the Ravens, Eric joined the Flying Tigers Line, which was later acquired by Federal Express. During his service, he received a Purple Heart and two Air Medals. He served in Vietnam before being recruited to join the Ravens, an elite group of pilots who flew extremely dangerous and covert forward air control missions in Laos during the Vietnam War. Pursuing his childhood dream of flying, Eric joined the U.S. He grew up in Cheyenne and graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1966 with a degree in mathematics.

Eric was born August 14, 1943, in Cheyenne, Wyoming to parents Harold Erickson and Martha Leefers Erickson. Oro Valley, AZ – David John “Eric” Erickson died on Tuesday, October 6, 2015, in Oro Valley.

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