Marie Dvorak Erickson's Obituary
Marie D. Erickson, a resident of Clairemont, died suddenly of a heart attack on September 15, 2024, at the age of 97.
Marie was born in Pisek, ND, to Henry H. Dvorak and Rose Praska Dvorak on August 27, 1927; the third of their seven children. She was raised in Pisek, where she attended school and worked on the farms of her extended family. She graduated from Park River High School in 1945 and went to work as secretary for the town attorney. In 1949, she graduated from St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in Grand Forks, beginning a nursing career that lasted for 40 years.
Marie married LeRoy Erickson of Petersburg, ND, in 1950. Together they raised three sons in the Minneapolis area, where she worked in psychiatric and medical surgical positions at local hospitals. The family moved to San Diego in a U-Haul truck in the summer of 1968.
She continued nursing at Sharp Hospital in the ICU and Rehabilitation Center, and at Kaiser Permanente. The Kaiser Hospital nurses voted her the Nursing Award in 1976 for her contributions to the creation of the outpatient surgery unit. In 1983, she was one of the leaders in changing the union representation for the 900 San Diego RNs to the United Nurses Association of California, contributing to improved wages and working conditions. She finished her career as head nurse in Dermatology.
Marie retired in 1989 and enjoyed traveling around the country by motor home with Roy. They were members of the FMCA, Rockwood West, and Discovery Chapters of California, attending frequent rallies for each of those groups, visiting family and friends along the way. She was a very active parishioner at St. Catherine Laboure, serving as President of the Women’s Association, Pro-Life Coordinator, and guild member.
Marie is survived by her three sons Bob, Ron (Michelle), and Russ, grand-daughter Kelly Watson (Adam), great grand-sons Bob and Jim, sister Lucie Sobolik of Pisek, ND, and numerous nephews and nieces around the country. Her Funeral Mass is scheduled for 11:00 AM on November 6, 2024, at St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Church, 4124 Mount Abraham Avenue in Clairemont. She will be inurned alongside Roy in the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery by the family at a later date.
What’s your fondest memory of Marie?
What’s a lesson you learned from Marie?
Share a story where Marie's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Marie you’ll never forget.
How did Marie make you smile?
