Marie Ellen (Erickson) Jones, 82, of Sturgis, SD, died Saturday, May 11, 2024, at Monument Health Home Plus Hospice in Rapid City, SD.

Marie Ellen (Erickson) Jones was born October 18, 1941, to Edward and Nora (Johnson) Erickson in Watertown, South Dakota.  She grew up on the family farm near Ortley, South Dakota.  She attended rural school in Grant County and graduated high school from Waubay.  She attended Northern State University for a period of time before moving west to stay with her older sister Dorothy, who was working in Sturgis.  It was in Sturgis where Marie met the love of her life, Bill Jones.  Bill and Marie were married on December 29, 1962, at the rural Bergan Lutheran Church near her home.

Bill and Marie made their home on the family ranch east of Sturgis.  Marie was a wonderful mother to Todd, Tammy, Travis, and Tricia whom she loved dearly.    Marie was a fantastic baker.  Cakes, pies and sugar cookies were her specialty.   Everyone had their favorite flavor of cake or pie and she was happy to oblige making whatever was asked for.   And sugar cookies…if there was a holiday on the calendar, there was a sugar cookie with almond frosting that paired with it.  There was nothing better than receiving a care package in college with cookies in it.  However, the one thing Marie wanted to make sure everyone had before she passed was her lefsa recipe!   Many, many wonderful memories are left to be remembered making lefsa with family and friends all around.

Marie was also a caring and loving grandmother to Nora, Abbie, Cody, Jesse, Hudson, Cameron, and Sophie.  She loved them so deeply.  Marie was quick to volunteer to watch her grandkids and was always in attendance at their events.  She loved spending time with all of them.  Marie also loved her siblings and their families immensely.  She loved visiting with her brothers, Steve, and Elton Erickson, on the phone and was especially close with her sister, Dorothy Henry, who has always lived nearby.

After 61 years of marriage, Marie lost Bill on February 26, 2024.  Her health began declining and she was diagnosed with broken heart syndrome which led to heart failure and her passing just 75 days later.  Marie loved her family and God all the way to the moon and back a million times and more.  She will be missed by all.

Blessed to have shared her life is her sister, Dorothy (David) Henry; son, Todd (Nicole) Jones, and children, Abbie Culver, Cody, and Jesse Jones; daughter, Tammy Jones; son, Travis (Marne) and children, Hudson, Cameron and Sophie Jones; granddaughter, Nora Grace Nelson, sisters-in-law, Betty Hankins, and Peggy Garner, plus nieces, nephews, relatives and friends too numerous to mention.

Marie was predeceased by her parents, her husband, Bill; infant sons, Timothy, and Tracy; daughter, Tricia Nelson, and son-in-law, John Nelson; brothers, Elton Erickson, and Steve Erickson.

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