Irene Moen Erickson, 99, died on Friday, January 11, 2008 at the Boone County Hospital in Boone, Iowa. Born February 9, 1908, to Berdinus and Louise Fladager Moen, she was the fourth of eight children. Hers was a family that valued education. Of the six children who survived to adulthood, the three girls became teachers and the three boys became medical doctors.

She was a Norwegian Lutheran, whose grandparents traveled by oxen from Decorah in 1870 to become some of the first homesteaders in western Lyon County. She was always proud of, and loyal to, this heritage. While she lived for a few years in other states, she spent the majority of her life in Iowa. She was born and raised in Inwood, educated at Iowa State Teachers College, and taught school in Crystal Lake (4 years) and Kanawha (22 years). For over 50 years she lived in Kanawha, sharing her talents with the Lutheran Church, the Eastern Star Lodge, her community, and her family and friends. In 1999 she moved to Ames, where she resided at Silvercrest Assisted Living until April 27, 2006, when she moved to the Eastern Star Home in Boone.

On May 27, 1935 she was united in marriage with Jordan Erickson, a fellow Norwegian Lutheran whose ancestors were also early Iowa pioneers (Roland, 1856). Together they raised four children, three of whom survive her: Ann (Gray) Henderson of Tucson, AZ; Ellen (Stevan) Holm of Ames; and Eric (Barbara) of San Antonio, TX. Two grandchildren also survive her: Amy
(Matthew) Brown and Eric Holm of Waukee; and three great-grandchildren: Claire, Collin, and Cooper Brown. She was preceded in death by her siblings, husband Jordan (12/29/64), and daughter Jorrene (6/10/06).

Her ashes will be interned in late spring in the Amsterdam Township Cemetery in Kanawha, Iowa. Condolences to be shared by the family may be sent to eeholm@mchsi.com or to Ellen Holm, 2133 Friley Rd., Ames, IA. 50014. Those who wish to contribute a memorial may direct their gift to the cause of their preference.