Obituaries

GARY WAYNE ERICKSON It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of Gary Wayne Erickson on Sunday, January 19, 2014 at the Pinawa Hospital. Left to mourn Gary’s untimely passing are his loving wife Helen; sons Richard (Tamara and children Tia and Zach), and Lee (Danielle); many brothers and sisters-in-law; nieces and nephews (especially Grant and Diane who always supported him in tough times). He was predeceased by his parents Jessie and Axel Erickson; brother Nelson; also his mother and father-in-law Merle and Lorne McCracken; brother-in-law Alex James; nephew Scott McCracken, and niece Colleen James. On December 14, 1943 Gary was born at the Pine Falls General Hospital. He lived with his parents and elder brother Nelson at Old Pinawa where Gary’s dad worked at the hydro electric plant until it closed in 1951. They then moved to Great Falls, Manitoba in August, 1951 where his father continued working as a control operator. Gary curled a great deal as a child as his dad was the ice maker at the curling rink in Great Falls. Curling and baseball were his greatest sports. However Gary also enjoyed golfing as he would hitchhike to Pine Falls from Great Falls to play and practice the game. Hunting and fishing were two more of his sports, as was flying. Gary took his flying lessons in the mid 1970s and owned his own Piper Cub PA18 for 15 years. Gary did not realize at the time that this would have a future influence on his sons Richard and Lee who are now both flying for Perimeter Aviation. At 18 years of age on an extended summer holiday, Gary started to work for Manitoba Hydro. He was hired as an electrical trainee with the production department in 1964. He then travelled to the different hydro stations throughout his training. Gary met Helen McCracken at a curling bonspiel and they were married in 1967, residing in Great Falls, Manitoba where he worked for some years. He then worked in the Seven Sisters Falls region for four years before working the last seven years of his career at Jenpeg, Manitoba where Gary retired in December of 1998. A Celebration of Gary’s Life will be postponed to a later date when some of his snowbird friends return home from their winter holidays. Service time to be announced. We wish to thank Dr. Mouton, his dermatologist and his staff, Dr. Wong and his staff, the CancerCare Clinic staff at the Health Sciences Centre, Dr. Bruneau and the CancerCare staff at the Pinawa Hospital and to the Pinawa Hospital staff that gave Gary and his family such great, compassionate care. Richard Wojcik of Wojcik’s Funeral Chapel & Crematorium, Beausejour, is in care of arrangements. 204-268-2263 wojciksfuneralchapel.comPublish Date: Jan 25, 2014GARY WAYNE ERICKSON It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of Gary Wayne Erickson on Sunday, January 19, 2014 at the Pinawa Hospital. Left to mourn Gary’s untimely passing are his loving wife Helen; sons Richard (Tamara and children Tia and Zach), and Lee (Danielle); many brothers and sisters-in-law; nieces and nephews (especially Grant and Diane who always supported him in tough times). He was predeceased by his parents Jessie and Axel Erickson; brother Nelson; also his mother and father-in-law Merle and Lorne McCracken; brother-in-law Alex James; nephew Scott McCracken, and niece Colleen James. On December 14, 1943 Gary was born at the Pine Falls General Hospital. He lived with his parents and elder brother Nelson at Old Pinawa where Gary’s dad worked at the hydro electric plant until it closed in 1951. They then moved to Great Falls, Manitoba in August, 1951 where his father continued working as a control operator. Gary curled a great deal as a child as his dad was the ice maker at the curling rink in Great Falls. Curling and baseball were his greatest sports. However Gary also enjoyed golfing as he would hitchhike to Pine Falls from Great Falls to play and practice the game. Hunting and fishing were two more of his sports, as was flying. Gary took his flying lessons in the mid 1970s and owned his own Piper Cub PA18 for 15 years. Gary did not realize at the time that this would have a future influence on his sons Richard and Lee who are now both flying for Perimeter Aviation. At 18 years of age on an extended summer holiday, Gary started to work for Manitoba Hydro. He was hired as an electrical trainee with the production department in 1964. He then travelled to the different hydro stations throughout his training. Gary met Helen McCracken at a curling bonspiel and they were married in 1967, residing in Great Falls, Manitoba where he worked for some years. He then worked in the Seven Sisters Falls region for four years before working the last seven years of his career at Jenpeg, Manitoba where Gary retired in December of 1998. A Celebration of Gary’s Life will be postponed to a later date when some of his snowbird friends return home from their winter holidays. Service time to be announced. We wish to thank Dr. Mouton, his dermatologist and his staff, Dr. Wong and his staff, the CancerCare Clinic staff at the Health Sciences Centre, Dr. Bruneau and the CancerCare staff at the Pinawa Hospital and to the Pinawa Hospital staff that gave Gary and his family such great, compassionate care. Richard Wojcik of Wojcik’s Funeral Chapel & Crematorium, Beausejour, is in care of arrangements. 204-268-2263 wojciksfuneralchapel.comPublish Date: Jan 22, 2014GARY WAYNE ERICKSON On Sunday, January 19, 2014 Gary died at the Pinawa Hospital at the age of 70 years. A longer obituary notice to follow. Richard Wojcik of Wojcik’s Funeral Chapel & Crematorium, Beausejour, is in care of arrangements. 204-268-2263, wojciksfuneralchapel.comPublish Date: Jan 21, 2014Publish Date: Jan 22, 2014   As published in the Winnipeg Free Press on January 25, 2014