Stephen 'Steve' Erickson

Stephen Roger ‘Steve’ Erickson passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, March 20, 2021. He was 70 years old.

A public visitation for Steve will take place on Friday, March 26, 2021, from 4 – 6 PM at Bonnerup Funeral Service, Albert Lea. Masks are required, social distancing and current COVID restrictions will be followed. Please enter through the canopy doors. Instruction and guidance will be given by funeral home staff upon entrance.

Funeral services for Steve will be held at 2 PM on Saturday, March 27, 2021, at First Lutheran Church, Albert Lea. Pastor John Holt will officiate. Family and friends may join us for a visitation one hour before the service at the church. Interment to follow at Graceland Cemetery. A livestream of the service will be available on his obituary page at www.bonnerupfuneralservice.com.

Steve was born in Richfield, MN, on August 17, 1950, to Orville and Marion (Sundberg) Erickson. When he was a junior in high school, his family moved to Albert Lea where he graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1968. Steve went on to attend the University of Minnesota where he earned his BA Summa Cum Laude and his JD Cum Laude. On September 11, 1971, he married Susan Larson at First Lutheran Church. To their union, two sons were born. Steve practiced law in Albert Lea for 40 years — first opening a private law practice with Mark Anderson, later moving with Mr. Anderson to Christian & Peterson, P.A., and finally working as a public defender and practitioner until retirement in 2015.

From youth, golf was part of Steve’s life and many summers, he played more than 200 rounds. The odds of a single golf hole-in-one are extraordinary for most, but Steve sunk six during his lifetime. You also could find Steve fishing, especially ice fishing as it did not interrupt his golf schedule. Steve’s love of sports extended to playing slow-pitch softball at Maple Island for many years. Steve served the community as the Lutheran Church Council Chair of Property & Finance, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and President of the Albert Lea Art Center.

In his home life, Steve could be found playing Santa Claus and cross examining at the dinner table. He willingly accompanied his son Scott on several cross-country road trips and shared a love of music with his son Brent. Through the years, he would never miss watching his sons participate in sports and extracurricular activities. Most recently, Steve enjoyed watching his grandson Avery run cross country.

Steve is survived by his wife of almost 50 years, Sue; sons Scott (Jessie) Erickson and Brent (Katie) Erickson; grandchildren Avery, Reese, Layla, Evie and Ethan; brothers Ron (Lisa Doerr) Erickson and Mark Erickson; niece and nephew, Emily and Keith; stepbrother, Rich (Ginny) Borncamp and many other loving family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Orville and Marion; stepmother, Lila Erickson; grandparents Ernest and Gladys Sundberg and mother-in-law Lilia Larson.