Kathleen A. Ericksen, 74, Hartley

A memorial service for Kathleen A. Ericksen was held Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Hartley. Pastor Chris Nitzel officiated.

Pallbearers were Jordan Waddell, Benjamin Waddell, Wade Gebert, Bill Pippy, Mark Tanner, TJ Martin, Kim Martin and Kendal Martin. Interment was at Pleasant View Cemetery in Hartley. Hartley Funeral Home assisted with the arrangements.

Kathleen Ann (Meise) Ericksen was born Feb. 11, 1950 in Watertown, Wis., to Kurt F. and Florence A. (Yahn) Meise. She was made a child of the Heavenly Father through the Sacrament of Baptism on March 12, 1950, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Watertown. She was most blessed to have Christian parents and grandparents and received elementary education at St. John's Lutheran School in Watertown. Her faith was confirmed through the Rite of Confirmation on June 5, 1964, at St. John's Lutheran Church. She received secondary education at Watertown with graduation from Watertown High School in June of 1968.

Along her life's journey she felt the hand of God with her, and she continued her education at Concordia Junior College in Milwaukee, Wis., graduating with an A.A. degree in June of 1970. There she not only felt her faith grow, but God introduced her to her future husband, the Rev. David E. Ericksen. They were united in marriage on Aug. 28, 1971, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Watertown.

Kathy spent the next five years "putting hubby through (with a PHT degree)" Fort Wayne Senior College at Fort Wayne, Ind. and Concordia Theological Seminary at Springfield, Ill. In the fall of 1974, David's Vicarage (year of internship) took them to Council Bluffs, where he assisted Pastor Luther Werth at Timothy Lutheran Church. He and Kathy returned to Springfield for his senior year at the seminary, graduating with his Master of Divinity degree in June of 1976.

Following David's ordination, the couple spent the next five years in Wymore, Neb. and Summerfield, Kan., where David pastored two parishes: St. Peter's Lutheran, of Wymore, and First Lutheran, of Summerfield. They moved to Rockwell City in 1981, when David received a call to Immanuel Lutheran Church. In 1996, they relocated to Hartley where David was installed as pastor to the congregation at St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

Through the years Kathy had held numerous jobs, beginning as part-time help for her father, Kurt, handling bookkeeping and payroll, and ending her career as a teller for Security State Bank and United Community Bank in Hartley.

Kathy and David were blessed with the gift of seven children, five of them now with the Lord. Jennifer, their oldest, was born April 24, 1977, in Beatrice, Neb. She and her husband, Ty, reside in Hartley and have two sons: Jordan Alexander and Benjamin Hunter. Rodney was born Dec. 19, 1980, in Temuco, Chile. He was adopted by the Ericksens in February of 1985 and now lives in San Antonio, Texas.

Throughout the years, Kathy received much joy and satisfaction in sharing the love of her children and grandchildren. She also enjoyed many forms of handwork, cooking and baking, having received first prize in a baking contest earlier in life. Volunteer work was also very important to her so she offered her time and talents whenever she could. Yet her husband and his ministry to God's people were her greatest passion. God knew what He was doing when He brought David into her life.

On Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, Kathy was reunited with loved ones who had gone before: her parents; sisters: Wanda (Darrell) Westenberg, of Kewaskum, Wis., and Patricia (Gary) Allen, of Oshkosh, Wis.; and her five unborn children.

She is survived by her first love, David; daughter, Jennifer (Ty) Waddell and sons: Jordan and Benjamin, all of Hartley; son, Rodney of San Antonio, Texas; sister-in-law, Lois Workman, of Sterling, Ill.; and many other relatives and friends.