Myrtle Erickson, 89, of Thief River Falls, MN died Friday, March 14, 2008 at Thief River Care Center in Thief River Falls, MN.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at Zion Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, MN with Rev. Ale Tulu officiating. Burial will follow at St. Pauli Cemetery rural Thief River Falls, MN.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM with a 7:00 PM prayer service on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN. Visitation will also be held for one hour prior to the funeral at church on Wednesday.

Myrtle Alvina Nelson was born October 29, 1918 on the family farm near Hazel, MN the fifth of eight children born to Hannah (Lokken) and Nels Nelson. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Pauli Lutheran Church, Hazel, MN and attended elementary school in Hazel and went to the St. Pauli Church for Norwegian School. Myrtle graduated from St. Hilaire High School in 1937.

On December 31, 1938 Myrtle was united in marriage to Clarence Weckwerth at her parents home near Hazel, MN. There were six children born to this relationship: Lorrie, Gene, Jim, Myrna, Julie, and Alyce. They lived for a short time in Thief River Falls, McIntosh, Grand Rapids where their first three children were born and in 1945 they made their home on the Weckwerth family farm in River Falls Township where the next three children were born.

Myrtle lived the typical life of a farmers wife at that time, which meant looking after her six children. She nursed two of her children back to health, Jim with rheumatic fever and Lorrie with polio. She was always very active in the St. Pauli Church, she enjoyed raising money for the March Of Dimes; and she sang at many weddings, funerals, and birthday parties over the years.

In 1959 the family moved into Thief River Falls where Myrtle worked in a caf, at Ben Franklin, a dental office, and Arctic Cat. At the age of 52, Myrtle earned her degree as a Licensed Practical Nurse and then went to work at the CNC Unit of Northwest Medical Center. In 1977 Myrtle became disabled and it took her several years to rehabilitate herself.

In 1979, Myrtle was united in marriage to Selvin Erickson at Zion Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, MN. The couple made their home on the Erickson farm near Badger, MN for the next three years until Selvins death at which time she returned to Thief River Falls and bought a home on Johnson Drive. At this home she enjoyed working in the yard and planted over 150 trees. Later she bought a home on Dale Street where she lived until moving to Valley Home in 2000 and in November 2007 moved into Thief River Care Center.

Myrtle enjoyed singing, gardening vegetables and flowers, woodworking, building doll houses, embroidery, needle point, walking, cross-country skiing and fishing. She volunteered for hospice and taught other volunteers about hospice work, and especially enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls and her faith was the strength in her life from the time she was a little girl until the time of her death.

Survivors include children, Gene (Eunice) Weckwerth of Fairbanks, AK, Myrna Weckwerth of Squamish, BC, Julie Jasperson of Thief River Falls, MN, Alyce Weckwerth of Fairbanks, AK; grandchildren, Vicki, Gene, Dean, Brent, Brian, Jim, David, Kim, Jeff; great-grandchildren, Colleen, Caitlin, Carl, Amber, Mark, Andrea, Tana, Tatum, Raiden, Gareth, Brandon, Joseph, Johannas, Trevor, James, April, Tricia, Charel, Danielle, Nick, Lindsey, Jennifer and Michelle; great-great granddaughters, Shaylynn, Taylor, Alexandra, Tealani; sisters and brother, Evelyn Wold of Ohio, Henry (Kathryn) Nelson of Thief River Falls, MN and Pearl Dicken of California; she is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents; two husbands; daughter, Lorrie Townley; son, Jim Weckwerth; brothers and sisters, Norman Nelson, Raynard Nelson, Nellie Farbo, Hazel Wedul and infant twin sisters.

ORGANIST: Ida Nordvall
SOLOIST: Diane Johnson
SELECTIONS: He Touched Me
CONGREGATIONAL HYMNS:
CASKETBEARERS: Gene Anderson, Dean Anderson, Pat OBrien, Brent Weckwerth, Brian Weckwerth, Bill Peterson