Duane Daryl Erickson: 1936 – 2024
Funeral service for Duane Erickson will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, August 1, 2024 at Gillette Memorial Chapel; Guy Casablanca officiating. Visitation will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at Gillette Memorial Chapel. Inurnment will be held in Watford City, North Dakota on Saturday, August 24, 2024.
Duane Daryl “Swede” Erickson passed away on July 17, 2024, at the age of 88 at Campbell County Memorial Hospital after a short illness. Swede was born in Fairview, Montana on June 22, 1936, the only child of Jeanette (Gue) and Elmer Erickson. He was raised in Watford City, North Dakota and attended Watford City High School where he played baseball, football and basketball.
After graduating in 1955, Swede attended Minot State Teaching College for a year. He entered the US Army in1958 and was stationed at Fort Lewis in Spokane, Washington. Swede told stories of driving for chow six times a day and for higher ranking officers. He was honorably discharged in 1960 after two years of service.
On November 17,1961, Swede was united in marriage to Della Mae Olson at First Lutheran in Watford City, North Dakota. To this union, three children were born: Leann, Lori and Dean. During their 49-year marriage, Swede and Della Mae lived in the following towns in North Dakota: Watford City, Tiago, Westhope.
In 1969, the family moved to Cut Bank, Montana, Havre, Montana in 1974, and Gillette, Wyoming in 1981. After retiring, Della Mae and Swede moved to Watford City. Nine years after Della Mae passed, Swede moved back to Gillette, Wyoming to be closer to his daughters, grandsons and great-grandchildren.
During his lifetime, Swede hauled water for his dad, worked for Halliburton for 24 years and drove school bus for the Campbell County School District in Gillette for 17 years. He loved coaching midget-basketball for the Campbell County Recreation Center, especially when his grandsons were younger. Swede loved to play golf, go fishing and camping. He was very good at doing leather work and continued working on it up to the last year of his life. Swede loved watching the old westerns and the classic country western music. He was known for tinkering with devices to make them better.
Swede is survived by his daughters, Leann Erickson and Lori Cooper, both of Gillette; three grandchildren: Jake Cooper and Jason (Shelby), both of Gillette, and Krystle Folland of Athol, Idaho; four great-grandchildren: Kiera Cooper, Sydney Cooper, Jack Cooper, all of Gillette and Eve Cooper of Michigan; sisters-in-law, Elaine (Gene) Federenko of Watford City, North Dakota and Charlene Olson of Keene, North Dakota; two Nieces, Teri (Tim) Taylor of Watford City, North Dakota and Julie Federenko of Phoenix, Arizona; four nephews: Jim Federenko of Grand Forks, North Dakota, Doug Olson of Keene, North Dakota, Todd Olson of Sheridan, Wyoming and Scott (Loni) of Devils Lake, North Dakota; four grandnieces; and four grandnephews.
Swede was preceded in death by his parents, Jeanette and Elmer Erickson; his wife, Della Mae; one son, Dean; son-in-law, George Cooper; and one nephew, Wayne Olson.
