Robert F. Erickson

Robert Frederick Erickson, beloved husband of Ruth (nee Hahm) Erickson was welcomed into the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on January 11, 2018 at the age of 98. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather who served the Lord with all his heart to the glory of God.

Robert (Bob) was born on October 4, 1919 to the late Arthur and Gertrude (nee Jephson) Erickson in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in Chicago, graduating from Senn High School and receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology. Following graduation in 1942, he went to work for a civilian defense contractor, Martin Company in Baltimore, MD during the Second World War. He served in the Army Airforce for nine months following the conclusion of the war. Bob would go on in 1947 to work for A. A. Erickson Bros. in Chicago, a firm started by his uncles in 1900. He would work for the company until it closed its doors in 1973. He would then go to work for Space Planners, a portable office partitions company for 15 years before retiring in 1990.

Bob and his wife-to-be, Ruth Hahm , both attended The Moody Church soon after birth. They did not know each other until they met as young adults during a Moody Church softball game. They would begin dating in 1947 and were married on September 11, 1948. He was blessed with three sons, Donald (Claudia), Richard (Joanne) and Thomas (Penny). He had eight grandchildren: Christy (Brett Anderson), Becky, Kara, Ryan, Britta (Jacob Apple), Ingrid, Paul (Elizabeth), and Julie (Matt Herrema). He had six great grandchildren: Mia, Madison, Theodore, Gwendolyn, John and Luke. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Raymond, sister, Marge and granddaughter, Kara Erickson.

Moody Church would play a lifelong role in Bob’s life beyond finding his wife. He would serve in the Sunday School, on the Executive Board and for many years helped with building and maintenance projects at Camp Moyoca (Moody Youth Camp).

After 60 years of living in the house they had built in Chicago, Bob and Ruth moved to Three Oaks Assisted Living in Cary, IL this past October. Bob would enter into glory in his new home under the hospice support of JourneyCare of Barrington, IL.

Visitation and funeral service will be held at Drake & Son Funeral Home, 5303 N Western Ave, Chicago IL 60625 on January 20, 2018. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am with the funeral service starting at 12:00 pm. Interment will follow immediately after at Rosehill Cemetery, 5800 Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL 60660. For more information, contact Drake and Son Funeral Home at 773-561-6874. In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that you designate gifts to The Moody Church.