Robert Leonard Erickson (known to all his friends as Erick) was born in Englewood, Colorado on May 19, 1938. He died on September 8, 2015 in Tacoma, Washington. Erick was born with adventure in his soul and he began to learn to fly at the age of 10. His family moved frequently and he attended a variety of schools in Denver, Anchorage, and then graduated from Clover Park High School in Lakewood, Washington. He attended the University of Washington with the intent of going into dentistry, but it was in engineering where he would tap into his God given tenacity, genius, problem solving skills and tireless work ethic. He began his professional career with Martin Marietta in Littleton, Colorado, then joined the United States Air Force for four years, after which, he worked for Howard Hughes Aircraft in El Segundo, California, then finally as a hardware engineer for Harris Data Corporation in Bellevue, Washington, where he earned a reputation as a dedicated and relentless problem solver who never did anything halfway and never left a problem unsolved. When Erick was in his early 30's he rededicated his life to the Lord and as a result of this loving relationship, Erick wanted to share the grace and the mercy of God with anyone in need. Instead of taking an early retirement package and indulging in toys and vacations for himself, Erick spent everyday of the rest of his life serving people everywhere; from soup kitchens and underpasses in America, to digging water wells in remote Honduran villages devastated by catastrophic earthquakes, to building schools and orphanages in India, distributing much needed medical supplies in remote regions of the Philippines, and building outreach centers for people trying to make another start in life, his life become the living embodiment of living for others, a direct result of the overflow of God's love in his own life. He never took pity on people, but instead saw everyone as equals, partnering with people to help make their corner of the world a better place. Erick is survived by his daughter, Gigi Erickson McLaughlin (Jeff) and his grandchildren Hayden and Delaney whom he adored with abandon. His family would be honored if you would share in the celebration of his life on Saturday, September 19, 2015 at Real Life Family Center at 17708 28th Ave. East, Tacoma, WA 98445 at 11am. A potluck reception will follow at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to His Truth Ministries, 13716 13th Avenue S, Tacoma, WA 98444.

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