Delmon Workman Erickson

Our dad and grandpa, Delmon W. Erickson, passed away March 13, 2017. He will be missed by a large posterity.

Funeral services will be Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at his LDS Church located 650 East 2100 South, Bountiful, Utah. A viewing will precede the funeral at 9:30 a.m. A viewing will also be held Friday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the church at 2000 South Orchard Drive also in Bountiful, Utah.

Our beloved Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather passed away peacefully on March 13, 2017 in the home of his son Doug and Cerrie Erickson.
He was born on August 5, 1922, the third of five children born to Erick Edwin Erickson and Millie Workman Erickson in Salt Lake City, Utah. When he was just 7 years old the stock market crashed and the nation was thrust into the great depression. Much of his early formation was during this time and he learned to not waste anything and to plan ahead and go without some things. He was attending Salt Lake Business College studying accounting when the Japanese attack came on Dec. 7, 1941. That next Monday half of his class was missing - they had all gone down and signed up for the military. It was not long before Dad also went down and enlisted, along with his good friend Dale Fenton. The war shaped and matured Dad in many ways. He had prayed that he would never have to shoot anyone, and his prayer was answered. When he finally got deployed overseas, his job was to drive a tow truck at night up to the front lines and then tow the broken vehicles back behind the lines to be repaired. He carried a gun and knew how to use it, but he never had to kill anyone. He was on a leave from Missouri in December 1943 to go home to see his Dad who was in poor health with a heart condition. His brother Ed and sister Julia Billings arranged a blind date for him on new year's eve and that night he met Marilyn Geertsen, his future wife. They dated a short while during his furlough, but soon he had to return to his unit. Then in June 1944 his father passed away, and Dad came home again for the funeral. While home he dated Marilyn again, and before going back to his unit he told Marilyn that the next time he came home he would like to marry her, but she would have to pray about it. After the funeral he again returned to his unit.

The young couple wrote many love letters and about two months later Marilyn accepted his marriage proposal. However, the war was still going strong and soon Dad was shipped off to France. During the last year of the war the sweethearts wrote many love letter. The war in Europe ended on Sept. 2, 1945 and Dad came home on Oct. 14, 1945. The young couple made arrangements for the Lion House and he married his sweetheart in the Salt Lake Temple on Monday Oct. 29, 1945. The war in the Pacific was still going on and for a time Dad was scheduled to be deployed to the Pacific. At the last minute his colonel decided to discharge him there and then, so he never had to go to the war in the Pacific. For a time the young couple lived in the basement of his in-laws. It was not long before the young couple had saved enough to buy a home in Rose Park where they started their family.

He worked for a time at the Linford Brothers Utah glass company but in Dec. 1960 he moved his young family to a new home in Bountiful. This house was up on the East side of the valley on the hill with a view of the valley to the west. It was there that he raised his six children. Shortly after moving to Bountiful he got a new job at Hill Air Force Base as a systems accountant where he worked for the next 30 years. He was good at approaching problems with innovative solutions, and received several awards and commendations for his work.

He was active in the LDS church for his whole life, and served in many callings from the bishopric, as a home teacher, high councilor, scout leader, Gospel Doctrine instructor, and church auditor for 43 years.
We all fondly remember many family vacations all around the west and even trips to Seattle and to New York City to see the church history sites. Frequently these trips included camping and we all came to appreciate nature and being outdoors in the mountains. Upon retiring he was able to enjoy more time with his wife, children and grandchildren. He was able to travel to Europe and Latin America and even go on a cruise to Alaska with his wife and with Judy and Bruce.
He is survived by four children, Dave (Aura) Erickson, Doug (Cerrie) Erickson, Karen (Julie) Crist, and Kris (Chez) Steele and son in law Bruce Whitaker. He is survived by 30 grandchildren and 43 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife Marilyn Geertsen Erickson, his daughters Judy Whitaker and Susan McAdams.
He is fondly remembered by many people and will be missed.
Funeral services will be held at the LDS Ward house in Bountiful at 650 East 2150 South on March 18,2017 at 11:00 a.m.

Interment will be at the Bountiful Cemetery next to his beloved wife and daughter Susan. We will certainly all miss Dad and Grandpa, but he is going to a better place to be with his dear wife and daughters.