Havre resident John “Roger” Erickson, age 84, passed away on July 12, 2022, at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, John was born on August 23, 1937, in Rolla, ND to Fred and Hertha (Banse) Erickson. In 1944 the Erickson family moved from their North Dakota farm to Chinook, MT. John graduated from Chinook High School in 1955 and enlisted in the US Navy. After the military he continued to work for Herb’s Toggery before going to Chicago to attend the Coyne Electrical Institute to be certified as a TV and Appliance serviceman. He returned to Chinook and worked at the Farmer’s Union in their service department and freelanced as a self-employed electrical repairman.
When John was growing up in Chinook, he would go fishing with Frank Schend, not knowing that he would marry Frank’s daughter Beatrice. John and Bea married in 1961 and have 3 children, Nancy, Aaron, and Heidi. They made their home in Chinook until John was hired by Intermountain Microwave in 1970. The family moved to Cut Bank, MT where they lived for two years before being transferred to Havre, MT. After his employment with Intermountain Microwave, he worked 8 years at Cenex as a purchasing agent. When Bea’s parents passed away, he farmed the Anna H. Palmer family farm of Kremlin, MT until it sold in 1996, and he retired.
Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Beatrice; son, Aaron Erickson of Tualatin, OR; daughters, Nancy (Doug) Pederson of Meridian, ID and Heidi (Jerry) Fisk of Beaverton, OR; grandsons, Myles and Matthew Pederson of Meridian, ID and Justin Fisk of Beaverton, OR; and numerous nieces and nephews. To read the complete obituary and share condolences, visit the Schnider Funeral Home website.
