Obituary of Roger Thomas Erickson

Roger Thomas Erickson Roger Thomas Erickson (92) passed away on April 5, 2017 in a Chattanooga area nursing home. He was formerly of Altamont,Tennessee, La Moille, Minnesota and La Crosse, Wisconsin. He grew up on French Island in the Mississippi River. Mr. Erickson served in the U.S. Navy on a battleship during World War II. He suffered hearing loss as a result of the noise from the ships guns. He was one of the early occupiers of Japan after the war was over. He was part of the Navy SeeBees at that time. Part of his responsibility there was to destroy Japanese Zero’s that were left on the airfields with a bulldozer. He was married to Elaine Lee in 1947. They were married for 64 years, before she passed away in 2011. They both loved to garden and raise a variety of fruit. They operated a truck farm and a Rainbow trout business for many years. He was preceded in death by his wife Elaine Erickson, and his daughter-in-law Sandra Erickson. Mr Erickson is survived by a daughter, Sherry Thomas of Monroe, Ohio; a son Richard Erickson of Collegedale, Tenn.; a sister, Jane Wold of Mabel, Minn.; 4 Grandchildren: Jonathan Erickson of Calhoun GA, Julie Cavanaugh of Portland OR; Jenny Putnam of Carlsbad, CA; and Jeff Thomas of Cleveland, Ohio; and 6 Great Grand Children. Visitation will be from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Saturday at Layne Funeral Home in Altamont with burial beside his wife in the Erickson Family Cemetery at Cumberland Heights following visitation. www.laynefuneralhome.com