Dr. Jon Elmer Erickson

Erickson Dr. Jon Elmer Erickson, age 64, Associate Professor of English at Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, died April 5, 2016 of cancer. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and after serving in the Air National Guard attended the University of Wisconsin. He earned the BA, MA and PhD degrees in English at the University's Milwaukee campus and continued as a lecturer at the University as well as completing a three-month teaching fellowship on Performance Art in Belgium. Prior to joining the OSU faculty in 1990, he was an award-winning experimental Performance Artist in Milwaukee incorporating his written dialogue, dance and visual objects in his performances. In addition he published three books of poetry: "Heedless," "Phases," and "Interphases," and continued to write poetry until his death. He also wrote the script for "Retelling in Contemporary Verse," four books by Hans Christian Anderson: "The Little Match Girl," "The Woman with the Eggs," "The Top and the Ball," and "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," published in 1987 by Gareth Stevens Press. In his career as an English Professor, he published numerous scholarly articles in journals and edited a volume on "Theatre and Performance Theory." After joining the OSU faculty he organized and acted in several "Performance Art" presentations at the Wexler Center in Columbus. His book, "The Fate of the Object, from Modern Object to Postmodern Sign in Performance Art and Poetry," was published by the University of Michigan Press in 1995. As an OSU Professor Dr. Erickson especially enjoyed teaching and writing about theatre, art, performance theory and film. Students found Professor Erickson "inspirational, supportive and an unconventional thinker in the classroom." He is survived by his beloved daughter, Isabel Sophie Erickson; sister, Miriam Shankman and husband, Herbert; sister, Dolores Reid and husband, Malcolm; sister, Lenore Ellison; and nieces, Harrie Ellen Kukowski, Shari Daugherty, Robin Shankman, Christine Reynolds; and nephews, Jonathan Reid and Michael Reid. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in German Village, 684 South Third Street, Columbus, Ohio. Family and friends will gather at 9 a.m. at St. Mary's for a time of remembrance. Following the Funeral Mass, internment will be in the columbarium at St. Joseph's Cemetery, 6440 South High Street, Lockbourne, Ohio. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Mary's Church, a lay organization to assist the poor and the needy (St. Mary's Catholic Church, 684 S. Third Street, Columbus, Ohio 43206).