On September 14th, 2023, Dorothy Alice Ericson (nee Bergstedt) reached across and took the hand of the Jesus she had known and loved her entire adult life. Surrounded by family members, she at one point opened her bright blue eyes, stared up intently, and, with hands pointing upward, muttered “Jesus.” When asked by those around her, “Did you see Jesus?” she nodded to affirm that, yes, indeed she had seen her Savior.
Dorothy had celebrated her 100th birthday just two-and-one-half months earlier with well over two hundred attendees at the party. Displaying her still razor-sharp mental acuity, she stole the limelight by introducing every one of her three children and their spouses, her ten grandchildren and their spouses, her thirty great-grandchildren and spouses and her five great-great grandchildren. (Among the rewards of living to be 100 is that you have lots of family to love. And who most certainly love you in return…)
Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, she met her husband-to-be, Carl Ericson, at Bethel Free Church. Shortly after their marriage on May 1, 1943, the Ericson clan (including Carl’s two sisters and their families and his mother, Signe) moved to the Denver area of Colorado when Dorothy’s father-in-law, Gunnar Ericson, was sent to the Jewish Hospital for treatment of tuberculosis. Everyone established roots in the community, including attending the Evangelical Free church on Bannock Street near downtown Denver. In 1953 the congregation built and moved into Belcaro Evangelical Free Church on south Colorado Boulevard.
Dorothy’s brother-in-law, Carl Olson, moved his family to Longmont for his employment where he and Aunt Ginny (Virginia) raised their four children. Years later when Uncle Carl’s health began to fail, Dorothy and Carl sold their home in southeast Denver and moved to Longmont to assist Aunt Ginny with his care.
Carl and Dorothy were among the earliest members of Grace Evangelical Free Church where they not only attended but thrived and continued to grow in their Christian belief. Dorothy taught many Sunday School classes, was involved with the Women’s Ministry Team, and was an LUH volunteer. She started and led numerous bible studies, including, most recently, a Stone Croft study at her last residence, The Bridge (although she did turn over leadership of the group when she was not able to continue).
Dorothy started an informal meeting group called The Lady Bugs for widowed, divorced and single ladies to meet for lunch and conversation. And there was, of course, the other bug: her bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle, which was instantly recognizable and which she drove quite competently until she decided to give it up at age 97.
Dorothy is survived by her three children, Carolyn (Doug) Yelton of Northglenn, Colorado, Keith (Pam) Ericson of Beaverton, Oregon, and Nancy (Chuck Bursack) Ericson of Rapid City, South Dakota, as well as the grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Her younger sister, Shirley Stark, preceded her in death.
A private interment was held at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver. A Celebration of Life service will take place on October 11th, 2023 at 10:00 AM at Grace Evangelical Free Church, 2415 Lake Park Drive, Longmont Colorado, 80503. Remembrances to commemorate her life can be directed to one of Dorothy’s favorite charities, Samaritan’s Purse, which is a crisis and disaster response organization.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.17