Memorial
Richard C. Erickson, long-time Cedar Rapids resident, died on Tuesday, February 24, in West Chester, PA, after a short illness. He was 91.
Richard was born in Cedar Rapids on November 5, 1923, the second of three sons for Robert Fredrick Erickson and Elizabeth Hammond Erickson. Richard was preceded in death by his older brother Robert F. Erickson, Jr., and is survived by his younger brother Paul Erickson of Hiawatha, IA.
During World War II, Richard was a U.S. Marine in the tank core serving in the South Pacific. On May 6, 1946, he married Marilou Grauerholtz, who preceded him in death in 2007 after 61 years of marriage. The couple had one child, Marilyn Erickson Nelson of West Chester, PA.
Richard worked as an auto mechanic at both Allen Motors and Century Cab Company. After attending technical school when he was in his thirties, he made a career change to two-way radio technology and in 1964 founded Radio Communications, Inc. He retired in 1983. In 2012, he moved from Cedar Rapids to Pennsylvania to be near his daughter.
In addition to his brother Paul, Richard is survived by his daughter Marilyn and son-in-law Richard R. Nelson, and by two grandchildren and their spouses—Karen R. Nelson (Michael Poteet) of Drexel Hill, PA, and Carl R. Nelson (Tricia Baum Nelson) of Lacey, WA—and by five great-grandchildren (Carl and Hannah Nelson-Poteet; Erik, Annika, and Eva Nelson).
Inurnment of ashes will be in the Cedar Memorial Park Mausoleum in Cedar Rapids. In keeping with Richard’s wishes, there will be no memorial service. Any memorials should be directed to the mourner’s favorite charity.