Roberta Dorothy Erickson

Roberta Dorothy Erickson was born on March 26, 1943, and raised on the family farm near Cormorant, MN. She was the younger daughter of Evelyn D. and Robert W. Erickson, and sister to Linda Hildegaard Erickson. She died in Fergus Falls, MN, from complications related to a fractured hip.

Roberta led an interesting life. In her youth, she lived in Hawaii, San Francisco, and the Virgin Islands. She bicycled across Europe with her sister Linda, and celebrated her 40th birthday with a solo trip to Nepal. Later, she spent many years living and working as a teacher in Papua New Guinea.

She was not much of a "people person," but was outspoken in matters of justice and sympathetic to the underdog. She had a keen and unique affection for animals, keeping chickens and being an active contributor to animal welfare funds. Indeed, one of her niece's very first memories is accompanying her to a protest outside of a fur shop.

She was especially devoted to her sister, Linda, as Linda was to her. Practically inseparable all their lives, they are remembered by friends and relatives for their mutual companionship and good humor, almost always reading, or in other ways resting off the beaten path.

She is survived by her nieces, Morgan and Cordelia Erickson-Davis, and her grand-niblings, Hyacinth and Sova Erickson-Sovero.

In a fitting tribute to their lives together, a joint memorial for Roberta and Linda will be held at Lake Ida Cemetery in the spring.

To honor Roberta's memory, consider going ice skating or taking a swim, watching the BBC version of Brideshead Revisited, enjoying a glass of wine, adopting a feral cat, or contributing to an animal welfare organization in her name.