Lorna Erickson

When Lorna Erickson passed away on Saturday morning, April 6, we lost more than a loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. We lost one of God’s most faithful and loving servants. Lorna always chose faith and kindness above all else, despite suffering so many hardships in her life. Lorna was born on June 16, 1942 in Detroit, Michigan to Dora and Aloysius Ochotny. She had an older sister, Carol, who she loved and admired. Unfortunately, Carol was taken from this world at age 15 at the hands of a drunk driver, a devastating event that had long-lasting implications with her family. Despite the profound sadness, Lorna persevered in school, graduating high school at the young age of 16. She progressed to the University of Detroit before ultimately transferring to the University of Michigan, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in August 1968. That was a momentous month for Lorna, as she married her husband, Dennis Erickson on August 24, 1968 at Salem Memorial Lutheran in Detroit. She turned her degree into a job as a social worker in the city of Detroit, protecting at-risk children. She gave up her career to start a family with Dennis, and they moved to Indianapolis, IN after he got a job there with NCR. Lorna and Dennis welcomed their two sons into the family shortly thereafter. Jeff was born in May, 1971, and Doug was born in January, 1974. Lorna’s faith was always important to her, as was raising her two sons in the church, first at Cross & Crown Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, and later at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Wichita, KS. Another hardship that Lorna overcame was suffering a ruptured cerebral aneurysm in January, 1979. She was in a coma, had multiple neurosurgeries and was hospitalized for months. She had to relearn how to walk, and even how to talk. Even after she was discharged, there were many long-term health ramifications for her, from crippling seizures, frustrations with her resulting aphasia, and diminished physical strength. Despite all of that, one rarely knew about her ongoing battles with these conditions. Again, she chose faith and kindness first. The Erickson family moved to Wichita in August of 1986, and Lorna and Denny remained in their house for over 35 years there. Lorna became immersed in the church, volunteering with Stephen Ministries and multiple guilds at Gloria Dei. She also made a number of dear friends through Welcome Wagon. In 2021, she and Dennis moved into Oxford Senior Living, also in Wichita. Lorna was a voracious reader, loved cheering for her beloved alma mater as well as her sons’ schools. She was proud of her marriage, her sons and her granddaughters. She had wonderful relationships with Jeff’s wife Kim and Doug’s girlfriend Meredith. She was preceded in death by her parents, Aloysius and Dora (Young) Ochotny; her sister Carol; her mother and father-in-law Helen and Paul Erickson; and her sister-in-law Karin Erickson. She was survived by her husband Dennis Erickson, of Wichita; by her son Doug Erickson (Meredith), of Virginia Beach, VA; by her son Jeff (Kim) Erickson, and granddaughters Allison and Erin, of Monrovia, CA; and her brother-in-law Roger (Dee) Erickson of Montgomery, AL, and their three children Carl, Beth and David. Lorna was a woman of love, of faith, and of kindness. We already miss her dearly. Lorna’s Memorial Service will be at 11:00 am, Saturday, June 8, 2024, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. Services in care of Downing & Lahey West Mortuary.