Erick Fadness

Erick J. Fadness, age 20, of Decorah, Iowa, died Wednesday, February 10, 2021 in a motor vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 26 northwest of Portland, Oregon.

Memorial Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 20, 2021 at the Decorah High School Gymnasium with Pastor Don Holmertz and Pastor Randy Scheil officiating.

The service on Saturday will be livestreamed at:  https://youtu.be/qbV_RrtrU-g

Visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Friday, February 19 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah.

In consideration of concerns regarding Covid-19, wearing of a mask and social distancing is required.

Erick John Fadness was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on May 6, 2000, to Ron & Marcy Fadness and his big sister, Laurel.  Erick began school in Pella, Iowa.  The family then relocated to Ankeny and later, Des Moines, before moving to Decorah in the middle of his third-grade year.

Erick enjoyed many activities, including athletics, vocal music, band, speech, and drama.  He earned recognition to the Academic All-State football team as a senior and won numerous Division I and All-State ratings as part of vocal, percussion and speech groups.  He graduated from Decorah High School in 2018 and attended the University of Iowa for two years before taking a COVID pause this year.

Erick traveled extensively during his summers and school breaks.  He visited numerous national parks in the West, Southwest and Southeast.  He spent the summer and fall of 2020 working for the Bureau of Land Management as a Woodland Firefighter in Prineville, Oregon.  Upon returning to Decorah in the fall, he converted a transit van into his dream vehicle for “van life.”  He visited various national parks in New Mexico and Arizona before traveling to Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort in Oregon where he was employed at the time of his death.  He was traveling to the Pacific Coast with several coworkers on February 10, 2021, to celebrate a coworker’s birthday when the driver of the vehicle in which he was riding lost control and the three occupants of the vehicle died instantaneously.

Erick had a passion for the outdoors.  He was studying Environmental Science at the University of Iowa and was committed to a career that would help others preserve and enjoy nature.  He also had a love for nature photography.

He is survived by his parents, Ronald & Marcy Fadness and his sister, Laurel Fadness of Decorah; his grandparents, Dennis & Vicki Huffman of Melcher, IA; his great-grandparents Jack & Gilda Otte of Maryville, MO; his aunts and uncles, Ruth & Rick Jones of Cottage Grove, MN, Roger Fadness of Greencastle, PA, and Lisa & David Lentell of Waukee, IA; and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Raymond & Arlene Fadness.

Erick was a beloved son, brother, grandson, nephew, and cousin.  He leaves a hole that can never be filled and a life that can never be forgotten.  Memorials will be used to establish a scholarship in Erick’s name through the Decorah Community School District Foundation. Make checks payable to DCSD Foundation, 510 Winnebago Street, Decorah, IA 52101.