Sheldon Roy Erikson

1941 - 2025

Sheldon Roy Erikson
09/23/1941 - 07/25/2025
Beloved and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle, Sheldon "Shel" Erikson passed away peacefully at home on the Friday, the 25th of July 2025. He was 83 years of age.
Shel was born in Chicago, Illinois on the 23rd of September 1941, to Florence and Roy Erikson. He was proud to proclaim 100% Swedish ancestry as all four of his grandparents emigrated from Sweden. Shel enjoyed a typical midwestern upbringing, attending New Trier High School, where he lettered in both baseball and basketball. Upon graduation, Shel attended the University of Illinois on a baseball scholarship majoring in mechanical engineering. He rose to become the Fighting Illini #1 pitcher and spent his summers pitching for the Chicago Cubs farm team. He was even offered a professional contract with the Milwaukee Braves. Soon after, however, Shel threw out his shoulder and his dream of being a major league pitcher came to an abrupt end.
A disappointed Shel decided to leave school and join the Marine Corps. He was called to report to duty during the Bay of Pigs operation in 1961, but luckily that deployment never materialized. He returned to Chicago in June of 1962, to begin his professional career at Republic Steel Company, and later joined H.M. Harper as a management trainee. During this time, he married and welcomed his first son, Steve, in 1968. It was then that Shel realized it was time to get serious and decided to pursue business school.
Shel applied to Harvard Business School, and after what must have been an impressive application, interview, and test score, he was admitted as one of only two students to have ever been accepted without an undergraduate degree.
After graduating with his MBA in 1970 and the birth of his second son, Mike, Shel began his post-graduate career as a consultant with Booz Allen & Hamilton in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1975 Jack Welch recruited him to join the strategic planning division of General Electric in Columbus, Ohio. Shortly thereafter, Shel became General Manager of GE's tungsten carbide drill bit division in Houston, Texas. This was Shel's introduction to the energy industry.
A few years later, Shel's former boss at Booz Allen convinced him to join Hoover Universal in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as a vice-president. Following Hoover's sale, Shel returned to Texas to be the group vice president of the energy business of NL Industries. After several years with NL, he accepted the role of president and CEO of Joy Manufacturing. This position was short lived as Joy was acquired eight months later in February of 1987. Shel was then tapped to be President and CEO of The Western Company of North America in May of that same year.
At the time, The Western Company was overextended during the late 80's energy downturn. Shel assembled a talented team of professionals, including several board members from his Harvard section E class, and spent the next eight years restructuring and revitalizing the company. In 1995 he successfully merged The Western Company with BJ Services.
As luck would have it, even before the sale of Western was completed, Shel and his team were recruited in May 1995, to lead the oilfield spinoff of Cooper Industries; Cooper Oil Tools (formerly Cameron Iron Works). Shel saw an opportunity to leverage the reputation and name recognition of Cameron and set about rebranding the new company as Cooper Cameron. Shel and his team famously worked for only $1 a year for seven years, taking only stock options as payment in the belief they could turn Cooper Cameron into a major oilfield service provider. His belief in the company, his team and himself paid off when the renamed Cameron International was added to the Fortune 500 list in 2005. Shel stayed involved with Cameron as CEO, President, Chairman and/or Board member until its sale to Schlumberger in 2016. During his tenure, Cameron's market value increased by over 3,000%.
Over the years, Shel also had the pleasure of serving on the boards of Triton Energy Ltd., Rockwood Holdings, Inc., Spinnaker Exploration Co., Cornerstone Building Brands, Inc., Layne Christensen Co., Endeavour International Corp., Franks International Inc., The American Petroleum Institute, The National Petroleum Council, The Petroleum Equipment Suppliers Association and The National Ocean Industries Association. He was also a member of several social clubs including River Oaks Country Club, Maroon Creek Club, Roaring Fork Club, Querencia, Lochinvar, Coronado Club and The Forest Club.
Of all Shel's many accomplishments, he was most proud of his family. He was a protective patriarch who balanced strength with deep affection and duty. When with family, his tough exterior would melt away to reveal a loving and gentle family man rarely seen by outsiders. He was kind, generous, attentive and always eager to sit in the stands as a grandparent cheering at sporting events (sometimes a little too enthusiastically). Shel was an ever-present source of encouragement, ready to listen and offer advice or mentor anyone in the family. In addition to his own children and grandchildren, he remained very involved in the lives of his only sibling and sister, Marion, and her children and grandchildren. Whether helping with school, a business venture, a golf tip or just lending an ear, he generously gave his time and energy to everyone in his family and several of his closest friends.
A lifelong sports enthusiast, Shel enjoyed watching and competing in athletics. Shel was a talented tennis player with a shelf full of trophies. He looked forward to annual hunting trips to Georgia and South Texas and was a proud member of The Order of St. Hubertus. He was also an avid Houston Rockets supporter and season ticket holder for over thirty years. In later years, golf became his passion. He enjoyed playing golf on Board trips around the world and he and his wife, Clayton, discovered the secret golf paradise of Los Cabos, Mexico very early on. He relished annual trips to Gleneagles, Scotland, where, after a round, he would partake of a wee dram and enjoyed formal festivities in his Cameron tartan kilt and ghillie brogues. But most of all, Aspen was his happy place. He and Clayton couldn't wait for summer each year to wine, dine, golf and enjoy the cool, fresh mountain air with their many special friendships.
Shel is survived by Clayton, his wife of thirty-six years, who never let a day go by without telling him how much she loved him. He is also survived by his son Steven Burr Erikson (Farley) and grandchildren Katie and Ryan; son Michael Brandt Erikson (Danielle) and grandchildren Shelby and Brooks; his beloved sister Marion Erikson Phelan (Warren), and her children Peter Richer (Cathy), Cari Ross (Bill), and Brad Richer (Leslie); as well as nieces and nephews Pearce, Sloane, Cooper, Nina, Kayla and Blake; stepson Greg Smith (Patricia) and triplets Mackenzie, Hayden and Madison Morehead (Braxton); sister-in-law Carolyn Gruy Biedenharn (Larry, d.), and their children Kahler Marlow (Kristian), Tucker Biedenharn (Sarah) and Allison Allcorn (Bobby); as well as sister-in-law Lisa Gruy Brandt (Wayne), and their children Emily LaGrone (Mark) and Robert.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to George Surugui and Mercedes Mantanico for their unwavering and compassionate care, and to Ken Hall, whose dedication, professionalism and quick wit was comforting over the last several years.
A Celebration of Life Reception will be held at four o'clock in the afternoon on Wednesday, the 3rd of September, at River Oaks Country Club, 1600 River Oaks Boulevard in Houston.
Should you wish, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to Brain Chemistry Labs by visiting www.brainchemistrylabs.org, Houston Methodist Nantz National Alzheimer Center by visiting www.houstonmethodist.org/give, or a charity of one's choice.
Please visit Shel's online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com where memories and words of comfort and condolence may be shared electronically with his family.