Stanley H. Erickson "Stan"

Stanley (“Stan”) Harry Erickson was born on August 22, 1921; he was the eldest of four children born in Virginia, Minnesota to Harry and Hilda Jaroski. Stan passed away peacefully with his wife and daughter by his side in Dearborn, Michigan on April 27, 2017 at the age of 95.

Stan met his beloved wife, Betty, through the Ford Motor Company Ski Club. Until his final day on earth, Stan never missed an opportunity to proudly announce that he and his “beautiful bride” had been married for 57 years, although they just missed celebrating their upcoming 57th wedding anniversary on May 28, 2017. From their marriage in 1960 until his death, Stan always carried their wedding picture in his wallet and would take every opportunity to show everyone the picture of the “happiest day of his life”. Stan married late in life and could never believe that God had finally answered his prayers for a wife and family. Besides “husband”, Stan’s proudest titles in life were father and grandfather. Stan cherished being a father to their three children: Jana Erickson, of Atlanta, Georgia; Linda (Jordan) Erickson-Paul of Basking Ridge, New Jersey; and, Paul (Nesrin) Erickson of Dearborn, Michigan. Stan adored being a doting grandfather to Elijah, Sophie, Charlie and Sawyer Paul, all of Basking Ridge, New Jersey; and, Adam and Noah Erickson of Dearborn, Michigan.

Stan began a very long and successful career with Ford Motor Company when he entered the Ford Trade School as a young man. While raising a young family, he worked long hours and attended college courses in the evening, but he always made time to be a very hands-on father who rock and sang his children to sleep, went bike-riding with his children, took them to the pool, park and playground, and always made them the center of his world.

Remarkably, Stan ultimately retired after a happy and successful 56-year career with Ford Motor Company, plus an additional 6 years with the Ford Trade School. (Stan would always add that he was ‘never laid off and never fired.’) Whenever Stan visited the Dearborn Inn, a historic boutique hotel opened by automaker Henry Ford in 1931 to accommodate Detroit-bound travelers, Stan would always pause in front of the fireplace portrait of Henry Ford and reverently say, “Thank you, dear Lord and Mr. Ford, for my wonderful life.” His family has many treasured photos of Stan, standing with family and friends, in front of the iconic Henry Ford portrait that will forever remain a special part of Stan’s lasting family history. He was a man of great faith and his church and community were also very important to him. Stan was very active in his church and co-founded the Evangelism Program at Guardian Lutheran Church; he also served as the Vice President of the Dearborn Hills Civic Association for 25 years.

Stan was an avid golfer into his 90s and he loved baseball, politics, and had a deep love for his country that he shared with his children. From the youngest age, Stan instilled in his children a profound love of country, and they always said that he was one of the most patriotic men that they’ve ever known. He taught them to fly the American flag on national holidays, honor veterans, stand for the national anthem, and respect this country that he first grew to love under his favorite President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Stan had a ferocious zest for life and he loved people but, most of all, he loved his family with everything that he had. Stan never met a stranger and if you met him you undoubtedly heard about his “beautiful wife” of nearly 57 years, his 3 children, 6 precious grandchildren and the various dogs that captured their hearts through the years. “Grandpa Stan” adored rocking and singing to his grandchildren for hours when they were infants. When they were older, Grandpa Stan enjoyed taking his grandchildren to the donut shop or for ice cream; taking them to/from school; watching them at the pool or at a sporting event; and taking them to the playground. The activity didn’t matter, Grandpa Stan just adored spending time with his grandchildren, and his grandchildren adored their time with Grandpa Stan. There was not a day that passed – even in the final days and weeks of his life – that he did not consider himself the luckiest man alive. As he always reminded his family – and anyone who met him – Stan said that God had blessed him beyond all expectation with a beautiful wife, three children and six precious grandchildren, a beautiful home and a long and happy career with Ford Motor Company.

Even as Stan encountered numerous health obstacles over the past several years that would have taken down the strongest of men, Stan always had confidence that God would take care of him, and God did. Until his very last breath, he never gave up, rarely complained and always smiled. Until his final day, Stan was always willing to try one last procedure or option so that he could get home and enjoy more time with his family. Stan never surrendered and found joy in every day, even on his last day on earth. Many of Stan’s doctors, nurses and rehabilitation staff shared stories of how Stan touched their lives in some extraordinary way. Many have said that he is someone that they will never forget. Stan’s doctors often remarked that he never wanted to talk about himself or his own health issues. Instead, he wanted to share, with pride, stories of his family that he loved so much. Doctors, nurses and hospital staff would continue to visit him long after he was their patient. One doctor who visited Stan nearly daily although he was not treating him at the time told his family, while placing his hand to his heart, “Your Dad is my heart.” Many told his family, “I just love Stanley; he’s an inspiration.” Another of Stan’s beloved medical providers shared the following, “I am so happy to have known a man so true to his faith and with so much love for his family. He is someone I will never forget.”

The family will receive family and friends for a visitation on Friday, May 12, 2017 from 3:00-8:00 p.m., at Harry J. Will Funeral Home at 25450 Plymouth Road, Redford, Michigan 48239. Stan's life will be celebrated with a funeral service, on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. (visitation from 9:00-10:00 a.m.), led by Pastor Dan Ramthun, at Guardian Lutheran Church 24544 Cherry Hill, Dearborn, Michigan 48124. The family encourages all who attend the funeral to join them immediately following for a luncheon at Guardian Lutheran Church.

Stan will be laid to rest by his family in Glen Eden Lutheran Memorial Gardens, Livonia, Michigan.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the following:

Guardian Lutheran Church

24544 Cherry Hill

Dearborn, Michigan 48124

General Memorial Fund: In Memory of Stanley H. Erickson

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Amputee Coalition

900 E Hill Ave Ste 390

Knoxville, Tennessee 37915

To send a donation by mail, please write: In Memory of Stanley H. Erickson in the memo line of the check.

A printable donation form to the Amputee Coalition can be found at this address:

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/honor-memory-of-donate-by-mail-form.pdf

An online donation form for the Amputee Coalition:

https://www.amputee-coalition.org/ways-to-give/donate-online-by-mail-or-by-phone/donate-online/

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