Mary Alice Ericson

Born in Portland, OR on January 14, 1913
Departed on April 30, 2009. Resided in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Memorial

Dr. Mary Alice Eaton Ericson, 96, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa died April 30, 2009 after a brief illness. A Celebration of Life will be held May 30 at 10:00 AM at Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist, Cedar Rapids,IA.

Survivors include her daughter Emily Eaton Ericson, Marion, IA, grandson Paul S. Ericson (Liz), Barrie, Ontario, Canada, great-grandchildren Julia Elizabeth and Evan Hill Ericson, sister Margery DeLerno (Manuel), St. Charles, IL, brothers James C. Eaton (Peg), Macedon, NY and John David Eaton, Cheshire, CT, niece Jenna Lucke, Cambridge, MA, grandnephew Elijah Powell, La Vista, NE, many other nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and her companion cat, Mr. Mooch.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Agness Lucke, husband Dr. Eston Everett “Eric” Ericson, and daughter Edith E. Ericson.

Mary Alice was born January 14, 1913 in Portland, OR the daughter of Olive Clifford and James Kent Eaton. Her childhood was spent in New Hampshire and Massachusetts where she graduated with honors from Newton High School in 1930.

In 1934, Mary Alice graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Wellesley College. She earned her Master’s degree in geography from the University of Chicago in 1936 and her Doctor of Philosophy in sociology from the University of North Carolina in 1940. In that year she married Eric, a professor of English at UNC.

In the following years she worked as a statistician for the WPA, a professor at Mount Holyoke College and Gustavus Adolphus College and as a researcher for the Columbia University School of Public Health and Administrative Medicine. When her daughters were born, she became a full-time homemaker until they started school.

In 1960 Mary Alice accepted the Chair of the Sociology Department at Coe College, Cedar Rapids, where she taught until her retirement in 1978. She loved teaching and her students, many of whom continued to write and visit throughout her retirement. A highlight of her time at Coe was the two years she spent in Costa Rica with undergraduates from 12 American colleges studying agrarian reform.

Mary Alice was active in her professional associations serving as the President of the Iowa Sociological Association and State Director of the Midwest Sociological Society among other positions. She authored numerous publications in her field. The American Sociological Association honored her with a lifetime membership for her contributions to sociology. She has been featured in both Who’s Who of American Women and Who’s Who of American Men and Women of Science.

A passionate advocate for peace and social justice, Mary Alice worked tirelessly for the Cedar Rapids community and the wider world. Examples of her contributions include serving on the Board of the Red Cross, Grant Wood Chapter and as Membership Chairman of the Linn County United Nations Association. Among her many honors were being named “Woman of the Year – 1978” by the Cedar Rapids Women’s Equality Day Committee and “Golden Role Model” in 2007 by the Cedar Rapids NAACP. She wrote hundreds of letters for Amnesty International’s “Individuals at Risk” and for years was the biggest fundraiser for CROPWALK against hunger.

After retiring, she traveled widely visiting China, Russia, Kenya and many European and Latin American countries. Mary Alice’s leisure hours were also full of activities such as the Peoples Church book club, gardening, HAGGIS events, the opera, theater, and Coe Forum. She was an active member of Peoples Church. With the help of her daughter Emily and Home Instead, she was able to remain in her home on her own until her death.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the E.E. Ericson Sociology Award at Coe College or to the Friends Committee on National Legislation, 245 Second Street NE, Washington, DC 20002.

Service

Cemetery