Miriam May Erickson

Miriam May Erickson, of the Town of Gibraltar, passed away on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at the Pete and Jelaine Horton Skilled Nursing Center in Sturgeon Bay, after a short but heroic battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 92 years of age.

A Wisconsin native, Miriam was born May 21, 1932 in Markesan to Erwin Edwin Eckert and Eva Sophia (Fratzke) Eckert in Markesan. She graduated from Markesan High School with the class of 1950 and received her BS degree in Home Economics from University of Wisconsin-Stout in 1954. That year, she moved to Door County, which became her home for the rest of her life. From 1954-1956 she was the Home Extension Agent for Door County.

On September 10, 1955, Miriam married Howard Richard Erickson in Markesan. They lived in Horseshoe Bay in the Town of Egg Harbor, where Howard was from, and resided there until 1967. Miriam and Howard then moved north to Juddville, and, in the same year, built the Shallows, a summer resort in Egg Harbor. In the years that followed, they raised five daughters: Jeanne, Lizabeth, Michele, MyChi, and Soledad.

In 1960, Miriam became home economics teacher for Gibraltar Area School District, a position she held until 1968 when she transitioned to the position of Library Media Specialist. During this time, she received her MA in Library Science from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Miriam was a pioneer in bringing internet access to schools and libraries in northeast Wisconsin. She became an unwavering force that led Gibraltar into the "connected age."

In the public library realm, Miriam served as the president and treasurer of the Door County Library Board, was a member of the Door County Library Foundation, and also the Friends of Door County Libraries.

She received many local, state, and national awards--too many to list them all. Some include Door County Community Foundation's Philanthropist of the Year award, induction into the Wisconsin Library Association's Hall of Fame, and the American Library Association's Honor Roll for outstanding contributions to the field.

Miriam loved Door County and the opportunities it offered her, her family and her community. Because of this, she served on the boards of many local organizations, including Birch Creek, Door County Community Foundation, Gibraltar School Board, and CESA #7 Board of Control. Miriam was also selected as a delegate to the White House Conference on Library and Information Services. She and Howard attended the Community Church of Fish Creek before and then Hope Church United Church of Christ in Sturgeon Bay where she served as a moderator.

Miriam loved to travel, hike, and ski. She even coached the girls and boys ski team at Gibraltar High School. Miriam liked sewing and knitting. She enjoyed spending time in her garden, cooking, and sharing her home with others.

Miriam and Howard shared over 48 years of marriage. He passed away April 25, 2004.

Miriam's love will live on in the hearts of daughters, Lizabeth (Robert) Dickson of Egg Harbor, Michele (John) Packett Appleton, MyChi Erickson, and Sol (Matthew Mikkelsen) Erickson of Chicago, IL; son-in-law, Robert "Bob" Barnard of Sturgeon Bay; grandchildren, Ann (Bryan) Birnschein and Andrew (Rebecca) Barnard, Molly (Katie Klas) Dickson and Maxwell Dickson, and Marcela, Sydnie and Angelina Erickson; great-grandchildren, Ray, Nitika, and Chayton; and nieces and nephews. She will be sadly missed by her dog, Rano and cat, Sophie; family in Sweden; her sponsored Vietnamese family in Louisiana; many friends; other family; and colleagues who she profoundly influenced throughout her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; daughter, Jeanne Barnard; grandson, Tyrone Packett; brother, Erwin (Delores) Eckert; siblings-in-law, Alric (Audrey) Erickson, Elvington (Pearl) Erickson, Wayne Erickson, Frederick Erickson, and Ralph Erickson; and nephew, Robert Erickson; and other relatives.

"Our family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff at the Skilled Nursing Facility; and Unity Hospice for their compassionate care."

Miriam's life will be honored with a memorial service held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 11, 2024 at Hope United Church of Christ, 141 S. 12th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 with Chaplain John Hauser, of Door County Medical Center, officiating. She will be laid to rest in Blossomberg Cemetery, Peninsula State Park, in Fish Creek, beside her husband, Howard.

Visitation for family and friends will be held at Hope Church on Friday, October 11, 2024 from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service.

The memorial service will be recorded (non-live) and eventually uploaded to the “Huehns Funeral Home, Inc. & Door County Crematory LLC” Facebook page (www.facebook.com/HuehnsFuneralHome).

Memorials may be given in Miriam’s name for Birch Creek Music Performance Center (3821 County Road E, P.O. Box 230, Egg Harbor, WI 54209; www.birchcreek.org/support); Horseshoe Bay Farms (7212 Horseshoe Bay Road, Egg Harbor, WI 54209; www.horseshoebayfarms.org/donate); Door County Library (www.doorcountylibrary.org/ways-to-donate); or any nonprofit of your choice.

Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Miriam may be shared with her family through her tribute page at www.HuehnsFuneralHome.com.

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