Janet R. Erickson

JANET RUTH (HULTQUIST) ERICKSON (February 9, 1933 – February 12, 2025) Janet R. Erickson, 92 years of age, of Kearney, NE, passed away on February 12, 2025. There will be no visitation. The family has honored her wishes to be cremated. Memorial services will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 22, 2025 at O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney, NE. Family-only burial services will be at Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege, NE at a later time. Janet was born February 9, 1933, in Holdrege, NE, the younger of two children of Neil W. and Emma M. (Stoffregen) Hultquist. She attended school in Holdrege and graduated from Holdrege High School in 1951. On July 2, 1951, she was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Stanley Erickson at Bethel Lutheran Church in Holdrege. She then accompanied him back to Shaw Air Force Base, Sumter, South Carolina, where he was stationed. She began her life as a military wife and worked for the Sumter Patrol office for six months, until July 1952, when their son Ronald was born at Shaw Base Hospital. They moved from Sumter in May 1953 to Hill Field in Ogden, Utah for two months, and then Stan was sent to George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. They lived in San Bernardino and Stan commuted to the base. In late November 1953, Stan was released from the Air Force and they returned home to the farm in Holdrege. Two daughters were born, Lynn in October 1954 and Lori in October 1955. During those years, Janet helped Stan in running the family farm, learning to run the trucks (hauling grain), driving the tractor to shred and disk, driving the grain cart, and finally running the combine (the best of all her jobs!). She loved the farm and all her pets. Janet was a life long member of the Bethel Lutheran Church, where she was baptized and confirmed. She sang in the choir for many years and taught Sunday School classes. She was also a longtime member of the First Lutheran Church in Kearney. She spent many years volunteering at the Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege and served on the board from 2008 to 2011. Janet also belonged to the Progressive Extension Club, Birthday Club, and Country Club Bridge along with several other bridge clubs. She enjoyed gardening and of course flying. In 1976, Janet began taking flying lessons. She got her private license in 1978, acquired an instrument rating in 1980, and a commercial license in 1982. Stan got his private license in 1980. In June 1979, they bought a Cessna Skylane 182 single engine plane and flew many hours covering many states. Janet took aerobatic and mountain safety training in 1985 at the Art Scholl Aviation School in Rialto, California. Several winters were spent in San Diego, California and visiting relatives in the area. In 1979, Janet and Stan both joined the Nebraska Civil Air Patrol. They spent many hours on practice training and actual search and rescue missions. Many hours were also spent flying for the Narcotics Unit, flying agents and photographing clandestine fields. They also belonged to the Nebraska Flying Farmers for a number of years, and Janet was a member of the Ninety Nines (female pilots) for several years. In 1993, Janet wrote an article on flying, which was published in the first issue of Woman Pilot Magazine. She loved to fly and took every opportunity to do so. She continued to fly until 2012. Many summers were spent flying to Reno, Nevada where their son, Ron, his wife Jane, and their twin grandsons, Neal and Donald lived. In 1998, they were thrilled to go to West Point Academy in New York where Neal and Don would spend the next four years. In 2002, they attended Neal and Don’s graduation from West Point Academy. She leaves to mourn her passing, son Ronald (Jane) Erickson of Rapid City, SD; daughter Lynn (Charles) Brewster of Kearney, NE; daughter Lori Erickson and her longtime friend, Nadine Tillemans of Holdrege, NE; five grandchildren, Neal (Bryna) Erickson of Burke, VA; Don (Kristine) Erickson of Lansing, KS; John (Mindy) Brewster of Lakewood, CO; Aaron (Amy) Brewster of Kearney, NE; and Meggan (Jeremiah) Clark of Kearney, NE; six great-grandchildren, Matthias Erickson and Conner Erickson of Lansing, KS; Kyler Erickson and Caden Erickson of Burke, VA; and Emma Clark and Owen Clark of Kearney, NE; sister-in-law LaDell Callahan of Palm Springs, CA; and brother-in-law Harold (Judy) Erickson of Holdrege, NE. She was preceded in death by her husband, Stanley Erickson; parents, Neil and Emma Hultquist; sister, Dorothy Nelson; and in-laws Philip and Fern Erickson, brother-in-law Stan Carlson, and sister-in-law Marlyn Carlson. Memorials are suggested to Kearney Area Animal Shelter. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services.

Janet R. Erickson

February 9, 1933 - February 12, 2025