Ken Erickson obituary
MENOMONIE (December 24, 2012) - Ken Erickson played a pivotal role in the establishment of the UW-Stout hockey program, serving as both an adviser and a coach to the program in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Erickson passed away at his home in Menomonie, Thursday, Dec. 20.
Funeral services are set for Friday, Dec. 28, at the First Congregational Church in Menomonie.
Erickson, who received the UW-Stout Athletic Distinguished Service Award in 1993, helped to establish the fledgling Stout State University hockey program in the 1960s, serving as an adviser to the club and coached the team from 1970-71, the year before the Stout program joined the Wisconsin State University Conference.
Current head coach
Terry Watkins was a member of those teams, and Erickson had an influence on Watkins that transcended hockey.
Watkins had been at Stout as a student in the late 1960s, then left the school and returned to the Twin Cities area and began working in a factory.
"If it were not for Ken, I wouldn't be here," Watkins, who has been the UW-Stout head hockey coach since 1996, said. "He twisted my arm to come back to school."
While Watkins was not at Stout for the first year of hockey when the games were played on Lake Menomin at Wolske Bay, his brothers Jay and Gary were, along with Tom Slupe, who would go on to coach the Blue Devils from 1972-83.
A Stout student at the time, Slupe caught wind of a group of Minnesota students who were interested in starting a hockey program, and Erickson was heavily involved in the process as a faculty member.
"Ken was the behind-the-scenes type of guy," Slupe said. "If something needed to be done, he made sure it got done, whether it was snow removal (on the outdoor rinks), rink maintenance or painting the lines."
Erickson was supportive when Slupe was coaching the team.
"He was the super inspirational person who kept us going," Slupe said. "He was always supportive of the players and looking out for hockey in general."
Slupe said Erickson always stressed the team should be playing tough competition and would play against teams such as St. Cloud State and the Air Force Academy, programs that are now NCAA Division I programs.
"Ken was an important cog on that wheel in developing Stout hockey," Slupe said.
Erickson was also a key player in establishing the Menomonie area youth hockey program, which is this year celebrating 40 years.
Erickson came to Stout State in 1961 as an instructor, then became the assistant director of placement services in 1972, a position he held until retiring in 1990. Erickson was a regular at UW-Stout hockey games until recently.
Complete Obituary
Kenneth "Ken" John Erickson, 86, of 602 Woodridge Court, Menomonie, WI, died unexpectedly at his home on Thursday, December 20, 2012.
He was born May 11, 1926 in Madison, WI to Albert and Jeanette Erickson. Ken joined the U.S. Navy in 1944 and served as a Machinist Mate 3/C on the U.S.S Dickman and U.S.S. Catskill in the South Pacific during WWII.
Ken earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from UW Platteville and a Master's Degree from the University of Minnesota. His high school teaching career began in Ripon, WI and continued in Sheboygan, WI in the field of Industrial Technology Education. Ken's third teaching position began in 1961 at Stout State College teaching drafting. In 1972 he became the Assistant Placement Director and continued to work in that position until he retired in 1990.
He was united in marriage to Margaret Norma Green on August 28, 1948, and they had three daughters together. Margaret died in 1982. Ken married Mary Alice Hokeness on December 26, 1986. He welcomed a stepson and stepdaughter into his family.
Ken had many talents, interests and hobbies including coaching football and hockey, golfing, building radio controlled airplanes, woodworking, and he was an avid history buff. He may be best remembered for being instrumental in developing both youth and college hockey in Menomonie. Ken is known to some as "Father Hockey" in Menomonie. For many years, he served as advisor or coach to the Stout program. He was a former member of the Board of Directors of the Dunn County Youth Hockey Association and coached Bantam level. He was the "voice" of the Dunn County Cougars.
He will be deeply missed by his wife, Mary, daughters, Linda (Steve) Nechvatal of Kansas City, MO; Alice (Don) Monett of Ellsworth, WI; Jill (Mark) O'Donoghue of Carbondale, IL; stepchildren, Jon (Julie ) Hokeness of Hudson, WI and Beth Segner of Carbondale, IL; 16 beautiful grandchildren; five great grandchildren; one sister Karen (Tony) Ballweg of Windsor, WI. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Margaret, brother (Clark), and sister (Jean).
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, December 28, 2012 at First Congregational Church in Menomonie with Rev. Rob MacDougall officiating. Burial with military honors by the Menomonie Veterans Honor Guard will take place in the spring at Evergreen Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4-7 pm Thursday, December 27th at Rhiel Funeral Home in Menomonie and one hour prior to services Friday at the church.
Online condolences may be made at www.rhielfuneralhome.com.
Rhiel Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Menomonie is serving the family.
