Richard Austin Erickson, 87 of Shadyside, Ohio died Thursday, January 5, 2012 at the Valley Hospice Care Center South’s Liza’s Place in Wheeling, West Virginia.
He was born June 4, 1924 in Tiltonsville, Ohio, a son of the late Austin and Sadie Noll Erickson.
He was a retired school teacher and coach. Richard was a US Army Air Corp veteran and served in the Pacific Theater during the last year of World War II. He was a member of Marshall College’s 1947 NAIB National Championship Basketball Team. After graduation from Marshall, he began his teaching career at Fairland High School, Proctorville, Ohio and then taught at Shadyside High School for many years. Over the years, he coached various high school varsity sports including basketball, football, baseball, golf and track. He also served as the first manager of the Shadyside swimming pool. After retirement from the school system, he worked for many years as a coal miner and then as mine foreman. In addition, he served as the county truant officer. In retirement, he continued to enjoy athletic endeavors, bowling in local leagues and helping to coach his grandchildren’s little league teams.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Dorothy Nichols.
He is survived by his wife of sixty years, Roberta Gillette Erickson; three children, Sharon Harman of Petersburg, West Virginia, Candace Spragg of Cumming, Georgia and Leif Erickson of Rutland, Vermont; two sisters, Ethel Schaal of Rayland, Ohio and Patricia Malcuit of Elbridge, New York. Also five grandchildren, John Eric, Heather and Emily Harman and Chelsea and Cassandra Spragg.
Family and friends will be received at the Bauknecht-Altmeyer Funeral Homes & Crematory 3900 Central Avenue Shadyside, Ohio on Sunday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 pm. Graveside services will be held at the Holly Memorial Gardens in Pleasant Grove, Ohio on Monday at 11 am.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Richard Erickson Memorial Scholarship Fund for student athletes of Shadyside High School 3890 Lincoln Avenue Shadyside, Ohio 43947.
Share your thoughts and memories with Richard’s family at altmeyer.com.
Past Services
Visitation
Sunday January 08, 2012
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Cemetery
Monday January 09, 2012
11:00 am
Service
Monday January 09, 2012
11:00 am
Visitation
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
A tough coach and a great man! His double teams were murder but made me a better man. Shadyside lost a good man!!!!!!!!!
Candy & the whole Erickson family,
Sad to hear of your Dad’s passing but thankful that he is no longer suffering. He was a great man who left his imprint on so many residents of our little town. I feel blessed that I got to see him a couple of times in the past couple years – one time Dad & I stopped up to see him & your Mom think it was your Mom’s Bday & another time recently @ Mehlman’s Sharon was there w/your Mom & Dad. Because of our Dads’ friendship, I feel I knew a side of your Dad that most outside of your family didn’t. Selfishly I still wish I could’ve played basketball for him – I’ve heard Ty, on numerous occassions, speak of “Coach” with much reverence. I fondly remember playing a little harder against Buckeye South simply because I knew how much your Dad wanted to beat them. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it home for the viewing but believe me when I say I was there in spirit. Trust in the Lord.
Your friend,
Robert J. Heidelbach
candy and family,
i respected and admired your father as a teacher and coach. i’m sorry for your loss and shadyside’s loss as well. he was one of the good ones at SHS and will always be remembered.
Candy,Sharon,Leif and Mrs. Erickson, I am so sorry for your loss. Shadyside lost a great Man. He will be sadly missed, but will always be remembered. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Lisa
Dear Aunt Bobbie, Sharon, Candace, & Leif, We are so sorry for your loss. Please know we hope for peace & rest for Uncle Dick & all of you. Love, the Arizona gang
Dear Leif and Family, Our thoughts are with you in sympathy and friendship. Kathy, Bill and Will
Dear Leif and family. Please accept my thoughts and prayers for Mr. Erickson. The Brandon Town Players and The Friends of the Brandon Town Hall also send their condolences.
Dear Leif and Family. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Val and Mike Gravelle
I am not sure where to begin except to say that Coach Erickson was an absolute legend. I am so sorry I couldn’t make it down for the viewing on Sunday. I have always had the utmost respect for him as a coach and teacher and more importantly as a man. Your should be proud he was your husband, father and grandfather. I only wish my children could have experienced him as a teacher and coach. He was the real deal.Candy I graduated with you and Leif you may remember me as your baseball coach of the Red Sox
I remember Mr. Erickson fondly from my high school days as a teacher and as my coach in basketball and football. He was a great no-nonsense coach with a good sense of humor thrown in. We had the best fast break basketball team in the Valley due to Mr. Erickson. He was one of a kind. He’ll be missed.
Jon Yonko, Class of 1960
I remember Mr. Erickson with the tremendous respect. After all these years over 50 I now smile when I think of all of the times that he made us run around that backstop during football practice. Thanks for everything “coach”.
Leif:
Thinking of you and your Family today. He is at peace now and not suffering.
Jamie, Jeff & Molly
Mr. Erickson lived life as an Honorable man…I’m glad you was a part of my life and never forgotten…you will be missed!
Mr. Erickson was a great teacher, my great coach, and a nice man. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.
Mrs. Erickson and Family: I was a lifeguard at Shadyside Pool and Mr. Erickson was my supervisor. He ran a tight ship but, we did have lots of fun. My mom, Eleanor Schier, would make supper for me and bring it up to the pool if I worked the late shift and as time went on, Mom brought enough up to feed the Pool Staff. Mr. Erickson always enjoyed my Mom’s hot meals. He was a great man and I will never forget him as long as I live. My sympathy and prayers to you and your family. God Bless you always. A great man, with a deep and authoritative voice. I am sure you will all miss him. Mary Schier Fruzen
Mrs. Erickson, Sharon, Candy and Leif,
We were so sorry to here about the passing of your husband/father. He was a wonderful and VERY respected person who many looked up to. We are sorry that my husband and I missed you at the showing. We got there a little late and everyone had already left. You are all in our thoughts and prayers. Love, John and Melanie Ponzo Haswell
Mrs. Erickson, Sharon, Candy, Leif, and Family, I’m so sorry about Coach Erickson’s passing. He was a great teacher and coach who touched a lot of lives. Whenever I get together with former Shadyside football players, we always talk about Mr.Erickson and how hard he would drive us to win. He taught us that when you get knocked down you get up and battle back. His philosophy held true not only in football but also in life.He cared about his players and we had great respect for him. I am very thankful to have known Mr. Erickson and to have had him as my teacher and coach. You all have always been good to me; my thoughts and prayers are with you.
My deepest sympathy to the Erickson family,
I had the good fortune to play basketball for Coach Erickson. I will always remember the high expectations he held for all of us. He gave so much of himself to make us not only better basketball players, but better people as well.
I will always be thankful for having Coach as an important part of my life.
My sympathies to the extended Erickson family. I’m glad I was able to contact Coach a few weeks ago. He was a memorable person and playing basketball was a big part of my high school experience. I have vivid memories of many games we played and of road trips to watch college games. I greatly appreciated the thoughtful note and Christmas card I received from Sharon. Even though Coach’s passing was not unexpected, I know this is a difficult time for you. My best wishes to the family in this period of transition in your lives.
Dave Saffell, SHS Class of 1959; varsity basketball 1957,’58,&’59
My thoughts and prayers are with you all at this time. Sorry I wasn’t able to pay my respects…. He was a “gentle giant” and thus being a great person, teacher & friend.
sad to hear about coach had lot good times over the years always remeber that big smile and stern voice we lost good man! thanks coach
So sorry to hear of your loss. He was a good teacher and good man. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Beth Shaver and Scott McCready
To the Erickson Family,
SHS was fortunate to have a teacher/coach who cared so much about us. He certainly did inspire us to be more and do more than we thought we could. I hope that you will be comforted knowing how many lives he touched during his time here on Earth. May his memory be a blessing.
We are sorry for your loss .He taught both of us. We really respected him.We are out of town and not able to attend the service.