Irene “Gramma” L. Erickson, age 99, of Alexandria, formerly of Morris, died on Saturday, April 11, 2021, under the wonderful care of the staff at Bethany on the Lake and the compassionate care of Knute Nelson Hospice.
The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 15, 2021, at Lind Family Funeral Home in Alexandria with Rev. Trinity Opp officiating. Music is provided by pianist, Karen Hurlbut and vocalists, Ari Janssen, Scott Janssen, Anja Williams, Curt, Laurie, and Jackson Burns. The service will be live streamed on Irene’s obituary page on the funeral home website. Interment will take place at St. Lucas Cemetery, Cottonwood.
A public visitation is 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, April 14, 2021, at Lind Family Funeral Home in Alexandria and will continue one hour prior to the service. Please honor all Covid-19 health mandates, including social distancing and wearing of facial covering.
Irene Luella Kompelien, daughter of Theodore and Louise (Hansen) Kompelien, was born on June 25, 1921, in Clarkfield. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Lucas Church in rural Cottonwood. Irene graduated from Clarkfield High School in May of 1939. She was united in marriage to Murl Arden Erickson on June 10, 1944. Murl and Irene made their home in the Cottonwood area, where they farmed until 1957. They moved into Cottonwood where they lived for several years until moving to Thief River Falls in 1965. Two years later, they moved to Morris. Irene was a member of First Lutheran Church in Morris. She was active in teaching Sunday School while in Cottonwood and involved with Ladies aid and Bible Studies. She was well known for saying “you gotta eat now!” in her Norwegian brogue. Her dish to pass when visiting her children was her famous “peanut cakes” and Chex mix, which was so heavily ladened with butter, one had to have a napkin in one hand while eating with the other!
Irene was preceded in death by her parents; beloved husband, Murl; daughter-in-law, Linda Erickson; three brothers, Orville, Thurman, and Hartford; four sisters, Alice Zietlow, Mildred Vanstrom, Eldora Jolstad, and Leona Olson.
“Gramma” is survived by her two sons, Ronald (Sandy) Erickson and Dale (Lorna) Erickson; four granddaughters, Anje (Sam) Williams, Andrea (Brian) Eidsvold, Kellie (Scott) Janssen, and Emily Erickson; two step-grandsons, Jesse (Lynsi) Scheeler and Tyler Scheeler; and ten great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers are her precious great-grandchildren, MacKinney Williams Toenyan, Syri Williams, Anja Williams, Sammy Williams, Drew Eidsvold, Jackson Eidsvold, Ari Janssen, Max Janssen, Amari Scheeler, and Alyssa Scheeler. Arrangements by Lind Family Funeral & Cremation Services.
