Keith George Erickson

If you ever met my dear husband, Keith George Erickson, you would know he was a kind, personable, and funny guy. In following with his Scandinavian heritage, he was a very hard and tenacious worker; working until he was seventy-five and always enjoying it; and he loved telling his Scandinavian jokes. He was a man committed to Christ, brought up in a Baptist family of five siblings who have all, along with their children and their children’s children, continually walked in the way of God’s word. He was an educated man, working hard, once with three jobs in college, to earn his BA (1966) and his MA (1971) in Spanish from Illinois State University, and his PhD (1983) in Educational Administration from the University of Iowa. He taught Spanish at United Township High School in East Moline, served as Chair of the Foreign Language Department, and advanced to Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Personnel; he then served as Director of Curriculum at Moline Public Schools, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources at Rock Island/Milan Public Schools, Western Region Coordinator for National Louis University of Chicago, and Field Supervisor for Clinical Experiences for Western Illinois University.

His entire family is musical, and Keith has blessed many with his tenor voice and his joyous singing, and he has passed this on to his two sons and six grandchildren.

He participated in his local community working with men and women who struggled with addictions. His life, in spite of its own moments of brokenness, exemplified a belief in the redemptive and victorious power of Jesus Christ.

Finally, he truly loved people and was graciously loved in return by many. All those listed below plus all of Gene’s family, many nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, his Church family, dear friends and neighbors, and colleagues of every level.

His parents: George and Birdia Erickson [deceased]. His siblings: Dick [dec.] (June) WA, Virginia (Dwain) FL, Joel (Marian) IL, Dean (Marcia) TX. His two sons, wives and grandchildren: Christian (Shelley), Lynus [dec.], Astrid, and Asmund MA. Matthew (Kelly), Isaiah (Liz), Joshua (Regann), and David WI. And me, his wife of fifty-eight years, Gene. Keith died after a seven-year struggle with esophageal cancer. Rest in true peace and joy, “thy true and faithful servant.”

A memorial service will be held in the Quad Cities at a later date.

Memorial gifts should be given to First United Presbyterian Church, Moline, IL; Youth Hope in Rock Island, IL; and Pregnancy Resources, Moline, IL.