Paul F. Erickson, 59

Published 7:01 am Sunday, February 12, 2017

Paul F. Erickson, 59, of Yuma, Arizona, passed away on April 16, 2016.

Born Feb. 13, 1956, he grew up in Austin, Minnesota, and graduated from Austin High School in 1974. He attended college at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota, on a football scholarship and was named captain his senior year. He earned a bachelor of science degree in printing management, which was the focus of his lifelong career.

Erickson

Erickson

He joined RR Donnelley & Sons directly out of college and worked in various positions to learn his craft. He managed plants in Indiana, Illinois, South Carolina and North Carolina. He eventually became the vice president of manufacturing at the Reno, Nevada, plant. Later, he worked internationally as a vice president at Polestar in Sheffield, England. He was appointed by President George Bush to the Government Printing Office as the Deputy Public Printer in Washington, D.C. Paul became Acting Public Printer in 2010 after the resignation of Bob Tapella. He retired in 2012.

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He was honored to receive the AHS Distinguished Alumi award in 2009.

Many of Paul’s family and friends would say that he lived life to the fullest. He enjoyed playing and watching all sports, but most especially golf, skiing, and football (Go Vikings!). Paul and his family regularly took vacations to Minnesota and met with more family while traveling the nation and the world. After retirement, Paul, and his wife, Misty, lived their dream of traveling in a motorhome across the United States. They settled in at Cocopah, near Yuma, Arizona. Paul will always be remembered for his kind heart, his laughter, his boisterous voice and his singing.

He was a devoted husband and father and his family always came first.

He is survived by his wife, Misty Campbell Erickson; his daughter, Cari Erickson Messerschmitt (Jamie); grandson, Felix; son, Clayton Erickson; in-laws, Robert and Judy Campbell; and siblings, nieces, nephews and their families. He was preceded in death by his mother, Lois Slater Erickson; his father, Palmer Erickson; and his step-mother, Norma Dalager Erickson.

He will continue to be in our hearts and souls forever.

A celebration of life ceremony was held Jan. 28, 2017, in Yuma.