Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
HOYT LAKES, Minn. — Dorothy Frances Erickson, age 94, formerly of Bessemer, Mich., died peacefully on Thursday, March 15, 2018 at Northland Village in Hoyt Lakes. She was born on Nov. 20, 1923 in Wakefield, Mich., to John and Louise (Torzewski) Savitski.
As a young girl, Dorothy lived in Thomaston, Mich., and moved with her family to Bessemer, where she graduated from Bessemer High School.
During World War II, she supported the war effort by working at Cutler Hammer in Milwaukee to assemble electrical panels for warships. Towards the end of the war, she moved back to Bessemer. On Jan. 3, 1948, she was married to Leonard Erickson at St. Sebastian Church. Dorothy and Leonard built their home in Bessemer and lived there until the closing of the underground mines. They transferred their family to Hoyt Lakes and resided there until the death of Leonard Erickson on Feb. 18, 1974. Dorothy then returned to Bessemer. In 2009, Dorothy returned to the Iron Range of Minnesota.
Dorothy was a former member of the Bessemer VFW Auxiliary and the St. Sebastian Ladies Guild.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Leonard Erickson; sisters, Josephine Savitski, Lucille Kuziola, Johanna Skwor, and Theresa Corona. She is survived by her brother, Edward Savitski of Saline, Mich .; three sons, Donald (Vera) Erickson of Wanette, Okla., Robert Erickson of Houston, Texas, and Thomas (Linda) Erickson of Hoyt Lakes; eight grandchildren Joshua, Amanda, Jon (April), Todd (Kate), Chad (Cassie), Heather (Powell), Jeffrey (Jen), and Sean (Lorie); and 11 great-grandchildren.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 24, at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, 212 E. Iron Street, in Bessemer, with a visitation held one hour prior to the service in the church. A luncheon will follow in the church social hall.
Frick-Zielinski Funeral Home of Bessemer, 906-663-4410, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to express online condolences, please visit rangefuneralservices.com.