Chad Michael Erickson

HETTINGER -- A memorial service for Chad Michael Erickson, 26, Arvada, Colo., will be held at 11 a.m. MST Monday at Hettinger Lutheran Church, Hettinger, with the Rev. Steven Sherer officiating. Burial will be in Hettinger Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. today at Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home, Hettinger, and will continue at the church one hour before services.

Special music will be provided by vocalists Norman and Bonnie Smith, and organist, Charlotte Morey. Casketbearers will be Chad Chadwick, Kayle Dangerud, Troy Dschaak, Daryl Hendricks, Nathan Nagel and Greg Pagel. Honorary bearers are Paul Marek, Bill Drexler, the Class of 1990 and all of his many friends.

Chad Michael Erickson was born Aug. 13, 1971, in Hettinger, to Bruce and Cynthia (Dangerud) Erickson. He attended all 12 years of school at Hettinger, graduating from Hettinger High School in 1990, where he was active in 4-H, FFA, FBLA, football and wrestling. He lived and worked in Dickinson and Hettinger for a time before moving to Alexandria, Minn., where he attended Alexandria Tech, graduating in 1995 with a degree in fluid power technology.

Following graduation Chad moved to Denver, where he was employed for the past 2 years. He loved the opportunities he had there to enjoy the Denver Broncos and other sporting activities. He also enjoyed music, movies, his computer and his Blazer.

He died of natural causes at his home early Tuesday morning, Dec. 16, 1997, shortly after watching his beloved Broncos on Monday night football.

Chad loved coming home to the farm and his family, and especially found it important to see and talk to them regularly following the deaths of his brothers. He was a loving son and brother, and his list of friends was endless. He was known for his huge heart, his love of animals and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

He will be sorely missed by his parents, Bruce and Cynthia Erickson, Hettinger; his only sister, Heidi, Moorhead, Minn.; his grandparents, Orville and Myrtle Dangerud, Hettinger; his aunts and uncles, Boyd Erickson, Lisbon, Maurice and Yvonne Erickson, Richmond, Va., Kerry and Ginger Dangerud, and Kevin and Roberta Dangerud, all of Hettinger; his cousins, Jay Erickson, Richmond, Jeff Erickson, Baltimore, Md., Claire and Michael Graetzer, Richmond, Kayle Dangerud, Brookings, S.D., and Drew and Aryn Dangerud, Hettinger.

He joins in death, his brothers, Greg, who died March 17, 1988, Brian, who died Oct. 4, 1992; and his grandparents, Monroe and Lillian Erickson.

A memorial will be established.