Laura Erickson, 80, died Saturday, July 8, 2006 at Hillcrest Nursing Home, Red Lake Falls, MN.

Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 ~ 2:00 PM at Evangelical Free Church, Thief River Falls, MN with Pastor Jim Howard, officiating. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery, Strathcona, MN.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 5:00 until 7:00 PM with a prayer service at 7:00 PM at Johnson Funeral Service and on Wednesday one hour prior to the service in the church.

Laura Larson was born January 16, 1926, the daughter of Ludvig and Jennie (Rud) Larson in Huss Township, Roseau County, MN. She was baptized as an infant on February 11, 1926, and was baptized as an adult through submersion. Laura was confirmed at Poplar Grove Lutheran Church in Strathcona. She attended country school, before graduating from Greenbush High School the class of 1945. Laura continued her education at the Lutheran " Deaconess School of Nursing, graduating on September 3, 1949.

On May 25, 1951, Laura was united in marriage to Delbert Erickson at Poplar Grove Lutheran Church, Strathcona, MN. The couple lived in Greenbush, MN where she worked as a Registered Nurse until 1968, when they moved into Thief River Falls, MN. She worked at Northwest Medical Center until retiring. She also worked for Johnson Boarding Home, and for Hanson Boarding Home for several years. Laura and Delbert were custodians for the Evangelical Free Church from 1988 " 1996. In January of 2005, Laura moved to Hillcrest Nursing Home in Red Lake Falls, MN where she has since resided.

Laura was devoted to her Christian faith and enjoyed reading the Bible, traveling with the string band to put on various programs in churches and nursing homes, playing scrabble, and word find puzzles. She always enjoyed coffee guest in her home, but most of all she loved playing with her grandchildren. Laura was involved in White Cross, Womens Missionary Society, Christian Womens Club, taught Sunday School for many years at The Evangelical Free Church and was involved with the Republican Party.

Laura is survived by daughter, Debra (Dennis) Piche, Red Lake Falls, MN; four grandchildren, Jeremy Knutson, Red Lake Falls, MN, Tiffany Lynn Knutson (special friend Michael Sheppard), Grand Forks, ND, Kristen (Jesse) Slover, Red Lake Falls, MN and Lisa Piche, Moorhead, MN; four great grandchildren, Alex and Tony Knutson, Kaitlin Knutson and Mikayla Sheppard and sister in law Helen Larson, Fargo, ND; Lillian Wagner, Greenbush, MN who Laura always thought of as a sister; and many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by husband Delbert on February 17, 2005; parents and brother Lawrence.