After 40 years of service Brent Erickson has officially retired as the funeral home director of the Erickson Funeral Home. In doing so he passes on the funeral home to the next generation.
Tragedy hit when George’s wife passed away in 1918 due to complications from the Spanish Flu. Grief stricken, George asked Elmer (his brother in law) to assist in the business. After an excellent job showcased over a number of months George asked Elmer Erickson to become a business partner. After much success, Elmer offered to buy Mr. Thompson out to become the sole owner and in 1919 the Erickson Funeral Home was born.
Brent is the third generation to work in the home and started under his father’s supervision when he was 13. When Brent finished high school he moved to Milwaukee, where he worked at two different funeral homes and attended mortuary school, which he graduated from in 1980.
In a Facebook post Brent thanked his family and all of the families he has services over the past 40 years. His long time secretary and friend Janelle Jackson said; “The first word that comes to mind when I think about what Brent has taught me in the 5 years I have worked with him is respect. He is very respected by all of the communities he serves and that is because he makes everyone feel so comfortable when he is in the room.”
With the retirement Brent’s son Justin Erickson will take over the duties as not only an owner, but the managing director. Justin will be the fourth generation to serve Lafayette County and the surrounding areas. He received his Associates of Applied Science degree from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Wheeling, IL in 2015. Following in his father’s footsteps he also worked at two other funeral homes before becoming a term staff member at his own family’s business.