Orlando Erickson

1915 - 2019

Orlando Erickson

Baltic - Orlando F. Erickson of Baltic, age 104, passed away in the Dells Nursing & Rehab Center in Dell Rapids on Thursday evening, May 2, 2019 after five weeks of declining health.

Funeral service will begin at 2:00 PM Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at Baltic Lutheran Church, Baltic. Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Monday at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Baltic. Burial will be in the East Nidaros Lutheran Cemetery, rural Baltic.

Orlando Fundaun Erickson was born to parents Martin and Julia (Fundaun) Erickson on Friday, January 22, 1915 southeast of Orland in Lake County, South Dakota. He moved with his family in 1919 to his maternal grandparents' (Fundaun) homestead southeast of Baltic.

Orlando attended Moen country school, and graduated from Baltic High School on May 24, 1934. In high school, Orlando was given the nickname "Eric." He farmed with his Dad until December 1943 when he and his parents moved into Baltic where his Dad bought the Blacksmith Shop. He helped his Dad work in the Blacksmith shop until Martin sold it in 1962.

On Sunday, May 26, 1957, Eric was married to Lorraine "Lolly" Carson at the First Lutheran Church in Colton. They made their home in Baltic and were loving parents to their only child, Dale. Eric did custom farm work from 1945 to 1965. He also worked at Peter Schmidt Implement in Dell Rapids selling IH Farmall machinery. After selling out his custom farming machinery, he worked at Brendsel Electric in Baltic, Van's Implement in Colton, Kayser Implement in Dell Rapids, and Blue Masonry in Sioux Falls, after which he retired in 1979. After retirement, he worked for Chuck Berg west of Baltic, helping with the farming until Chuck's death in 2007.

Lolly passed away on Sunday, January 18, 2015, four days before Eric turned 100.

Orlando was blessed with good health and lived in his own home in Baltic until the last 5 weeks of his life with hospitalizations and rehab therapy. Orlando passed away in the Dells Nursing & Rehab Center in Dell Rapids on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the age of 104 years, 3 months, and 10 days. He is lovingly remembered by his son Dale, of Baltic, five nieces, four nephews, and many other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife Lolly, his parents, his sister Inez (Henry) Johnson, his brother-in-law Walter (Alice) Carson, his sister-in-law, Gyneth (Elmer "Sam") Stene, three nephews, and one niece, and many cousins.

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