Frances Ann Torgrude Erickson died, Friday, October 23, 2015, at the Sturgis Long Term Care at the age of 79.

She was born to John and Pansy Marie Wagner on July 26, 1936, in Deadwood, SD. She attended school in Deadwood and graduated from Deadwood High School in 1954. She married Conley Torgrude in 1957 and to this union four daughters were born. She married Carl Erickson in Reno, NV, in June of 1981.

Fran was very active in her church, Bethel Lutheran, later renamed Shepard of the Hills Lutheran Church of Lead, SD, serving as Parish Secretary for many years. She later joined Grace Lutheran Church of Sturgis, SD.

Fran began working for the U.S. Forest Service in 1978 at the Box Elder Job Corps Center near Nemo, SD, as the receptionist. When she retired in 2005, with 27 years of service, she was the Administrative Officer. She also worked for the Forest Service at the Nemo Ranger District at Deadwood, SD, and the Spearfish Ranger District at Spearfish, SD. Fran truly enjoyed working and greatly valued the relationships she established with her coworkers and the youth at the job corps.

Fran was involved in sewing, crocheting and crafting in younger years but in later years, gravitated to more interactive pursuits such as playing cards (she loved pinochle.), ballroom and square dancing, and singing with the church choir. She enjoyed traveling to group functions, meeting new friends, and reuniting with old friends and family. She retained a loving connection to her fellow classmates of the Deadwood High School class of 1954, especially with her dear friend, Loyola Moser Rundel.

Fran loved birds and was especially partial to hummingbirds. She spent hours sitting on her back deck, or wherever they were, watching them flit back and forth.

Fran is survived by her husband, Carl Erickson; daughters, Debbie (Kim) Smoot, Belle Fourche, SD, Connie (John) Schmitt, Grand Junction, CO, Tammie (David) Paulson, Clark, SD and Pam (David) Carlson, Carol Steam, IL; step-children, Carla (Craig) Clement, Chandler, AZ, and Warren Mark Erickson, Craig, CO; sisters, Kathryn LaBau, Spearfish, SD, and Johnnie Lee Saunders, Vallejo, CA; 13 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and extended family and friends

Fran was preceded in death by her parents; an infant sister, Grace Marie; nephews, Keith, Brian, and James Davidson; and an aunt, Martha Wilkins.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 3, 2015, at Grace Lutheran Church in Sturgis with Pastors Henrique Fleming and Herb Cleveland officiating. Inurnment will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery National Cemetery near Sturgis.

A memorial has been established.

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