Jack Erickson died Wednesday morning, February 9, 2011 at Littleton Adventist Hospital. He died peacefully with his wife, Helen by his side after being rushed to the hospital with multiple organ failure.
Born July 19, 1928 in Elmira Heights, New York he was pre-deceased by his sister Helen Farmer and is survived by his wife, two children, Brian (Liz) Erickson and Jacalyn (Ed) Warner, two granddaughters, Kaitlin Erickson and Alexa Erickson, a step-grandson Michael Warner, a brother Norman Erickson, and a nephew Terry (Margie) Farmer.
Mr. Erickson will be remembered as a man of action who showed his love for his family through deeds not words. Shortly after his marriage he completed a mail order course in electronics which helped him gain a job at Eastman Kodak in Rochester, New York. He and his wife built their first home outside Rochester, N.Y. which he often joked he had "pounded every nail." This home was expanded several times to include a family room and swimming pool and became the location of many family gatherings. Mr. Erickson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology and went on to become a Senior Manufacturing Engineer in optics at Eastman Kodak.
In May of 1975, Jack began lessons for a private pilots license and within a few years his Airman’s Certificate showed he had an instrument rating for single engine passenger planes. This lead to many trips to Mackinaw Island in Michigan and up and down the east coast as far south as Florida and the Bahamas. In 1984 he was elected President of the Rochester Flying Club in Rochester, New York. After 35 years he retired from Eastman Kodak Company and built another home in Honeoye Falls, NY. This also became a favorite place for family visits.
Mr. Erickson was an avid skier and enjoyed the slopes of Bristol Mountain in New York, Killington in Vermont, the French Alps and his favorite, Vail Mountain. He and his wife moved to Colorado in 1994 to be near his grandchildren and children who were living there at the time. This also had the added benefit of bringing him closer to his favorite ski mountain. He skied almost weekly during the winter season until he was 80.
During his whole life Jack loved music and Jazz in particular. He played piano in his youth and often played at high school parties. One of his favorite pieces that we wrote and performed in the style of “boogie woogie” was called “Ode to Verona Street.” He attended Jazz Festivals from Saratoga Springs, New York to the Monterey Jazz Festival in California and points in between. His favorite musicians included Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson and Miles Davis.
Donations can be made to two of his favorite organizations:
Rochester Institute of Technology.
800-477-0376)
[email protected]; and the University of North Texas Jazz Studies
Attn: Darla Mayes
(940-565-3743)
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