Nina Erickson

Nina Bennetha Wahl Erickson, age 90 of The New Glarus Home, formerly of Blanchardville died on Friday, October 19, 2012 at the New Glarus Home. She was born on July 10, 1922 to Guy and Nettie (Helmeid) Wahl in York Township, rural Blanchardville. Her mother died shortly after giving birth and so Nina was raised by her mother's sister, Ella Helmeid. She attended Loyalty School and graduated from Blanchardville High School. She married LeRoy C. Erickson on January 10, 1942. They farmed together, side-by-side in York Center on the family farm that was homesteaded by LeRoy's grandparents, Thorsten and Ingeborg Erickson who immigrated from Gran Hadeland, Norway in 1883. They retired to Blanchardville in 1979. She and her husband were also custodians for York Memorial Lutheran Church for many years. Nina was a devoted member of York Memorial, serving as Sunday School teacher, choir member, officer of the ALCW and Circle. Upon her retirement, Nina also worked for many years with the local food pantry and enjoyed making quilts with the church sewing group. She loved to garden and was well known for her beautiful flowers. Her skill at making lefse was passed on to her granddaughter, Brenda. Carol, Linda and Brenda continue the tradition with an annual lefse-making day for the holidays. She was able to travel with the whole family to Iowa and South Dakota and to Nashville with LeRoy. In later years she flew for the first time to Florida with daughter Linda and husband Tom where she got to see the ocean and visit Epcot and Sea World. She also joined them on a trip to Washington D.C. that included Tom's mother Mary. Nina always loved her coffee! Whenever visitors to the New Glarus Home brought a thermos of coffee, they were greeted with "You've got coffee?!"

Nina is survived by two daughters Carol (Richard) Engstad of Mt Horeb and Linda (Thomas) Coughlin of New Glarus; two grandchildren, Brian (Jennifer) Engstad of Belleville and Brenda (Scott) Larson of Barneveld; and four great-grandchildren, Michael and Morgan Larson and Jacob and Lucas Engstad. She was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved Aunt Ella, and her brother LaVern.

The family would like to express their sincere thanks to the staff of the New Glarus Home for their wonderful care of Nina over the past several years. The family requests memorials to York Memorial Church or the Lafayette County Food Pantry.