Roger Keith Erickson | PASSAGES

Published 4:01 pm Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Roger Keith Erickson, 75, passed away peacefully at home on Oct. 5, 2015 in loving arms after battling cancer.

Roger was born to Arnold and Dorothy Erickson in Vermillion, South Dakota on Jan. 6, 1940.

The family moved to Long Beach, California following his father’s passing in 1949. Roger graduated from Millikan High School in Long Beach, where he lived to play basketball and football with his friends.

He studied Russian at Syracuse University for the Air Force, majored in history at California State University, Long Beach, obtained his master’s degree in education and did further psychology coursework at USC.

Roger went on to teach Russian at Millikan High School and then history at Westminster High School. Returning to South Dakota to organically farm near Vermillion with his young family was not sustainable, but provided lifelong meaning and stories.

Upon moving back to California, Roger worked with unions and then headed a fingerprinting business before jumping back into teaching. He taught psychology at Harbor College, worked with an employment preparation program at Long Beach City College, and finally taught math and history at Downey High School.

Beyond his quest for learning and love of book discussion, he was, first and foremost, devoted to his wife and daughters. He retired to follow his cherished grandchildren to Gig Harbor, then Narragansett, Rhode Island, and back again to Bainbridge Island.

Moving was trivial when it meant tending a garden, reading, traveling, driving to music lessons and sports with his wife and grandkids on a daily basis. His sense of humor, cheeriness, hugs and understanding will be missed.

He is survived by Barbara, his wife of 49 years; daughter Julie (Brian) and granddaughters Amanda and Emily; daughter Jennifer (Donovan); sister Joan (Gene); brother Jim; nephew Jason (Erica) and their children Ace, Jaime and Trevor. Roger is predeceased by his youngest brother Craig.

A gathering for family and friends at Bainbridge Public Library to share Roger’s love of books will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25.

Roger, thank you for showing us life is so good. In lieu of sending flowers, please stop and tell someone you love how much they mean to you. Roger would love that very much!

stay together

learn the flowers

go light

– Gary Snyder