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John Erkman Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for John Erkman
Cheyenne
July 10, 2025
Dr Erkman wasn´t the first principal I had and he wasn´t the last, but he was the one who left the biggest impact. Montclaire didn´t seem the same after he had left. My best friend at the time and I used to joke that he didn´t put us in the same class on purpose because he knew how good a friends we were. You will be missed good sir.
Ria Toolis
December 9, 2017
My son, for his Boy Scout Eagle project made a bench in John's honor. It is in John's Memorial Garden and Labyrinth at Priory.
Kristin Dobbs Menicou
April 20, 2007
What a huge loss to the field of education. John inspired me as an educator. I took a graduate class last spring from John at NDNU. I will always remember his wonderful, open, and "real" style of teaching. He made learning fun and always challenged one to think out of the box. I remember thinking how much I would love to work with a person of his character. John reminded us that good leaders make tough decisions. I just received the letter that we wrote to ourselves last spring. He promised to send it to us in a year so that we could see if our educational priorities were still inline one year later. I will treasure that letter, knowing that it represents the excitement and motivation that I felt as an educator while taking his class. My heartfelt condolences to John's fellow colleagues, students, family and friends. We've all lost an inspirational leader and a true gentleman that we called a friend.
Rebecca Cunningham
April 6, 2007
The "Big Guy" has left a huge hole in the Priory family. He is missed terribly.
Marie Lamb
April 6, 2007
John H. Erkman was a giant of a man who made a whopping impact. What a character! I knew him as a "Newbie Fellow Teacher" eons ago, actually I began teaching with John at RO Hardin School in Hollister in 1972. He was so alive and inquizative and saw the world through unique lenses. Oh yes, and so young under 30 with long flowing brown hair that sometimes the staff over 30 thought was a bit too long!
John pushed me to think and feel more deeply and also to have fun and view life with more prospective. I remember him as someone who had a huge circle of influence and was restless to be on a granduer stage. Hollister was too small to contain him. John and his mother Elizabeth were both on the staff at RO Hardin together and it was a joy to watch their mother-son interactions and their stories were so entertaining! They were master story tellers who enlivened our lunch periods. There were many a day when we sat in the lunchroom so enthralled and laughing so hard that we ignored the sound of the bell to end lunch. John connected with everyone young and old, gifted to severely disabled, rich and poor, well-adjusted and poorly adjusted and shared his insights freely enriching many lives and at times ruffling a few feathers! He had a way of noticing people and touching them that lead to an opening of hearts and minds. He had a strong engaging personality that brought people together.
Those were the days my friend, we thought they would never end. Thanks for the memories. You will live on in our memories and we are better people because of knowing you. My condolences to all who will miss John.
Susan Seaburg
April 6, 2007
John was our daughter's Principal at Nimitz and a dear friend to our family. When he moved on to the Cupertino district office, our daughter wrote him a note, saying he had 'been like a father' to her. He was very touched.
I remember John always crouching down to talk to the kids on their level, playing with them on the play ground--trying to jump rope using an 8 year-old's jump rope, treating all the kids and their parents with warmth and caring.
One year his staff dressed as John for Haloween--buttoned-down shirts and khaki pants, and wore 'masks' with his face on them. It was a tribute to how much he was liked and respected.
Our deepest condolences to Jim, Andrew, and the rest of the family.
Susan, Judy, and Elizabeth
Rachel and Tom Kellerman
April 6, 2007
John cared deeply about students, not just their academic potential but their character as well. He provided tremendous support for our son even after he left the Priory. His dedication to students and families will be greatly missed.
Dianna Walton
April 6, 2007
John was my son's principal at Montclaire School in Los Altos. Even though we only had John his last year at Montclaire, he made an invaluable impression on my son. So much that he wrote about John as his most memorable first day of school as an assignment for 7th grade English class.
The Erkman family is in our prayers,
Dianna Walton and Family
Nicole, Josyne Byker
April 6, 2007
Dear John,
Your life gives us a lot of special memories. We could still see you at the Nimitz office bending down on your knee trying to make two confused 8 year olds feel at home in a strange country. We also remember your special visits in the classroom with our birthdays, your silly outfits with Halloween, your laughter and the visits at our home in Glenbrook. You once wrote: "To my special friends, I'm so proud of you." Now we would like to say: we are proud of you and of everything you have accomplished at all the different schools. Unfortunately we were not able to meet in 2005. We would like to thank you for your friendship and the great time at Nimitz. After more than 16 years we still keep in touch with our 'Nimtiz friends' which is very special.
For always in our thoughts and with love,
Nicole and Josyne Bijker
Corry and Roel
Haarzuilens, The Netherlands
Our condolences to all family and friends
Nicole and Josyne Byker
April 6, 2007
Dear John,
Your life gives us special memories. We could still see you at the Nimitz office bending down on your knee trying to make two confused 8 year olds feel at home in a new, strange country. We also remember your special visits in the classroom with our birthdays, your silly outfits with Halloween, your laughter and the visits at our home in Glenbrook. You once wrote: "To my special friends, I'm so proud of you." Now we would like to say: we are proud of you and of everything you have accomplished for us and for all the students at different schools. Unfortunately we were not able to meet in 2005. We would like to thank you for your friendship and the great time at Nimitz (we love English). After more than 16 years we still keep in touch with many 'Nimitz friends' which is very special.
For always in our thoughts and with lots of love from your special friends:
Nicole and Josyne Bijker (the Byker twins)
and our parents Corry and Roel
Our condolences to all family and friends.
Haarzuilens, The Netherlands
Bob Bouchard
April 5, 2007
Our deepest sympathy to the family & friends of John. We knew him very well. His mother was our daughter's 5th grade teacher in 1976. He was the principal at a granddaughter's school in Cupertino in 1988; and another daughter worked with him on the Music For Minors program in the Cupertino School District. John was a wonderful, kind man who did much for community. He will be missed by many. Goodbye John. We will miss you. Fondly,Bob & Ann
Bouchard and family, Hollister CA
Eric Mendell
April 5, 2007
John was an inspiration to us all. To know him, was to love him. He has made such a positive impact in so many lives. We were so lucky to have had him in ours. We love and miss you soooo much! Cristin, Eric, Will and Gus Mendell
Claudia Mazzetti
April 5, 2007
John was such an influencial person in our daughter's life at the Priory. He was strong in spirit and an incredibly gracious man. We truly loved John and express our condolences to his family.
We all will miss his smile and laughter.
Bradford Agry
April 5, 2007
I treasured John's friendship---He was loyal and lived life with style and a wonderful wit--I will miss his wonderful laugh
Nancy Kirkeby
April 5, 2007
Marvin and Nancy Kirkeby wish to extend their condolences to Jim and the Erkman family. I taught with John at Nimitz School and truly valued him as a leader and friend. He took such joy in people and always that great sense of humor! It's tragic that he passed on so young. He left behind a legacy of friendship, caring, and creativity.
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