Ellis E Erickson

Ellis E. Erickson, Jr. 91 of La Crosse passed away Saturday, May 25, 2013 at the Bethany-St. Joseph Care Center. He was born January 27, 1922 in Viroqua, WI to Ellis E. and Edna S. (Axlen) Erickson, Sr. He married Shirley M. Johnson in La Crosse on April 4, 1946.

After graduating from Viroqua High School in 1940 Ellis attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942 he served as an engineer/gunner on a B-24 bomber during WWII. Following the war and his honorable discharge, Ellis completed his education at the Ploytechnic Institute of Technology in Brooklyn, N.Y.; the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and the University of Minnesota-Winona attaining his Bachelors and Masters Degrees.

Ellis was owner/manager for the Pelican Court Motel in Tampa, Florida and owner/manager of the Gamble Store in Viroqua before beginning a career as a teacher and counselor at Logan and Central High Schools in La Crosse. He retired from the La Crosse School District in June of 1985.

Ellis loved music and enjoyed performing with many orchestras for over 50 years. He was a life member of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 201 in La Crosse.

Survivors include five children; Richard (Ruth) Erickson of St. Louis Park, MN, James Erickson of La Crosse, Joyce Vaaler of Seminole, FL, Jerry (Barb) Erickson and David (Lois) Erickson both of La Crosse; grandchildren; Heidi (Gene) Birkhofer, Sara and Jamie Erickson, Karen (Ben) Kripps, Mark (Annora) Erickson, Mike (Lara) Paul, Chris, Amy, Mark and Matthew Paul, Aaron (Kristen) Vaaler and Andrew Vaaler; great-grandchildren, Matt Erickson, Allison Erickson, Andre Birkhofer, Alice Vaaler and Gray Vaaler. He was preceded in death by his wife Shirley, a sister Doris Waldberger and a brother Robert Erickson.

A memorial gathering of family and friends will be held from 4-7 PM Friday, May 31thstth at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services, 200 West Avenue South, La Crosse. Private family burial with military honors will be held at Mormon Coulee Memorial Park Cemetery.