Virginia Erickson

Virginia D. Erickson, 94, of Blomkest, died Wednesday morning, June 19, at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar.
Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, June 22, at Blomkest Baptist Church. Inurnment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, June 21, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar and one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials are preferred to Trout Lake Bible Camp, Gideons International or donor's choice.
Virginia was born November 23, 1918 to Albert and Ellen (Lundgren) Johnson in Fahlun Township. She attended District 68 School, northeast of Svea, through the 8th grade.
Virginia held a variety of jobs, starting out as a nanny. She was the bookkeeper for Parson's Welding and Willmar Grocery. During one Christmas she sold toys at Johnson and Johnson 5 and 10. She went on to do general office help at Norling Silo Company, bookkeeping and wrapping butter at the Svea Creamery, and worked for the Census Bureau. She started working for the Blomkest State Bank in 1942 and retired after 63 years in 2005. She also did the bookkeeping for Mel's Hwy. 7-71 Truck Stop for over 30 years.
On June 25, 1946, Virginia was united in marriage to Lennard F. Erickson. They made their home in the Blomkest community. Virginia was an active member of the Blomkest Baptist Church and was the pianist for over 60 years. She also held positions as Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School teacher, deaconess, financial secretary, Mission Circle and Bible School.
She was active in the area community as PTA President and Grand Marshal for Blomkest Appreciation Days. She was very active in volunteer and mission work. She helped pack Christmas baskets for the Salvation Army and volunteered at Trout Lake Bible Camp for over 60 years. She was a volunteer worker for Wycliffe Bible Translators in Arizona and Mexico, Youth With a Mission in Hawaii, and Global Missions in Equador.
Virginia had many interests and hobbies including writing poetry, rug weaving, gardening, entertaining and quilting. She made several hundred quilts and gave them all to relatives, friends and missions.
She is survived by her three children, Wayne (and Michele) Erickson of St. Louis, MO, LuAnn Freiermuth of Cromwell, MN, and Leland (and Linnea) Erickson of Willmar, MN; nine grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. Also surviving are a brother, Randolph (and Patricia) Johnson of Spicer; a sister, LaRose McLeod of Seattle, WA; a sister-in-law, Pearl Johnson of Willmar; a brother-in-law, Gordon Wallert of Willmar; and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; Albert and Ellen Johnson; her husband, Lennard Erickson in 2012; two brothers, Ellsworth and Wallace Johnson; a sister, Dorothy Wallert; two brothers-in-law, Bill Stearns and Rod McLeod and a sister-in-law: Eleanor Johnson.