Gerald L. Erickson passed away on October 10, 2025 in Brookings, SD. A funeral service for Gerald will be held at 2:00pm on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at Rude’s Funeral Home in Brookings, SD. A visitation will take place prior to the service from 1-2pm.
Gerald was born on April 15, 1934 in Pipestone, Minnesota the son of Ernest and Agnes (Sweet) Erickson.
Gerald spent his early years and received his education in South Dakota, Minnesota, and attended high school in Garretson, S.D. He was united in marriage to Carolyn M. Cunningham on July 9, 1954 in Pipestone, Minn. He was employed at various business’s in Pipestone, until 1961 when they moved to Brookings, S.D. Gerald was then employed at various business’s in Brookings, and Volga. He worked construction from 1971 until 1987 when he was employed at the Hillcrest School in Brookings. He especially enjoyed working on model trains.
Gerald is survived by his two daughters, Kathleen Schaub, and her husband, Alvin of Waseca, Minnesota, Teresa Dawkins, and her husband, Rodney of Brookings, S.D, one son, Steven Erickson, and his wife, Louise of Lesterville, S.D., four grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, his brother, Guy Erickson of Pleasant Hill, California, four sisters, Donna Dexter of Sioux Falls, S.D, Esther Jensen, and her husband, Dennis of Tyler, Minn, Rosemary Rolph of Pipestone, Minn, Sharon Falk of Rapid City, SD, and brother-in-law Robert Hendrickson of Box Elder, SD.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn of Brookings, parents Ernest and Agnes Erickson: his 2 brothers, Melvin and Lloyd Erickson: his 3 sisters Arlene Minnick, Zada Lu Dunkel, and Virginia Hendrickson: and his 5 brother-in-law’s Larry Dexter, Richard Falk, Stanley Rolph, Kurt Minnick, and Francis McBride: his 2 sister-in-laws, Jackie Erickson, and Marilyn Erickson: and his grandson, Joel Schaub.
Any memorials given will be donated to Feeding Brookings or the American Diabetes Association.
Celebrate a life with the whole community in The Dakota Scout. Contact obits@thedakotascout.com to have your loved one remembered today.