John Arion "Jay" Erekson Jr.

1942 - 2025

John Arion Erekson, Jr.

1942 - 2025

Murray, UT-John Arion "Jay" Erekson, Jr., age 82, father, grandfather and brother, passed away on January 21, 2025 in Quanah, Texas.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on December 16, 1942, Jay was the eldest son of John Arion Erekson and Helen Elizabeth Patch Erekson. Jay was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and served a mission in Australia.

Jay grew up in Murray, Utah, where his family founded dairy farms, spawned commercial trout and continued to settle the city in the footsteps of his great grandfather, John Benbow.

Jay was a graduate of Granite High School. After his mission, he attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he studied animal husbandry. At BYU, he met the future mother of his children, Carol Elaine Goble.

Jay married Carol on May 31, 1967 and they brought nine children into the world. Jay and Carol's family primarily lived in Southeastern Idaho, American Fork, Utah and Taylorsville, Utah.

Jay was a talented musician, performer and teacher of the gospel. He was able to recite long form poetry from memory. A soft tenor voice, talent for storytelling, cowboy charm and wit combined to delight everyone he met. Jay was blessed in his youth to be a wealthy man, and he came to understand that his wealth would be his family legacy.

Seven of Jay's children survive him: Gabrielle (Brian) Acord; Edwin Seth (Melissa) Erekson; John Arion (Kara) Erekson, III; Cherish Erekson; Joshua B. (Marianne) Erekson; Melodee Erekson and Richard Beau (Ashley) Erekson. He was also adopted into a large family in Quanah, Texas led by Jason and Heidi VanTreese. Jason and Heidi fulfilled Jay's cowboy dreams of living under a big sky in a remote land where he would travel hundreds of miles on adventures.

He is preceded in death by his sons, Jason Benbow Erekson and Mathew Sage Erekson. Carol also preceded him in death.

Jay is also survived by 18 grandchildren, his sisters, Arilyn Jensen, Lynne VanTreese, Wendy Erekson and Susan (Bill) Cronkrite, and brothers Mark (Raani) Erekson and Reid (Oriana) Erekson. He is also preceded in death by his sister, Erica Erekson, and his mother and father.

His younger and wiser siblings and family would like to invite all of Jay's loved ones, friends and admirers to services on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at the Chevy Chase Ward, 5235 S. Wesley Road, Murray, UT at 11:00 am.

Interment, Murray City Cemetery.