Orville Erickson

Orville James Erickson, 93, Bismarck, died Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020 at Sanford Health, Bismarck. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 27 at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck, with Rev. Derek Hawkins officiating. Due to concerns with the current COVID pandemic, funeral services will be open to the immediate family only. A service livestream will be available on the funeral home’s website.

Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck.

Orville was born March 14, 1927 to Hogan and Gusta (Mekvold) Erickson in Bismarck. His early years were spent in Bismarck where he attended Richolt Elementary School. In 1939 the family moved to Josephine, N.D., to open a grocery store. He enrolled in a small country school where he was the only seventh grader. After graduating from Maddock High School in Spring 1945, he was inducted into the Army on July 11 at Ft. Snelling. World War II ended while he was in basic training and he was sent to the Panama Canal until his discharge in Jan. 1947.

After his discharge, he joined the National Guard and enrolled at the North Dakota Agricultural College in the School of Agriculture. In Spring 1950 while attending college he met a special woman, Carolyn “Ardelle” Tollerud. His college education was interrupted by the Korean War when he was called up to active duty with the National Guard. On Jan. 6, 1951 he married Ardelle in Fargo and shortly thereafter was stationed at Camp Rucker, Ala. to prepare for service in Korea. Upon returning from Korea, he once again enrolled at the North Dakota Agricultural School graduating in 1953 with a BS in Agriculture.

In Fall 1953, he started working for Standard Oil Company in Fargo retiring as the Standard Oil bulk agent in 1976 in Bismarck. Both he and Ardelle enjoyed traveling and spending winters in Arizona where they loved to entertain their grandchildren. Ardelle, his best friend and wife of 56 years, passed away in 2007.  He continued to travel to Mesa, Ariz., for a few years to get away from the cold North Dakota winters.

He loved his family and was always interested in how the grandchildren were doing. He had a great sense of humor, loved to play cards, enjoyed listening to and playing music and was a great storyteller. He was thoughtful, caring, had a heart for others and will be deeply missed. He was an active member of the Faith Lutheran Church for many years.

He is survived by his three sons and two daughters-in-law, David (Bev) Erickson, Bismarck, Daryl Erickson, Durango, Colo., Dale (Candi) Erickson, Golden, Colo.; four grandchildren, Rachel (John-Paul) Incorvaja, Minneapolis, Minn., Laura (Chad) Dailey, Salt Lake City, Utah, Tyler and Leah Erickson, both of Denver, Colo.; one great grandchild, Luca Incorvaja, Minneapolis, Minn.; sister, Hazel (Duane) Eastvold, Knoxville, Tenn.; and one brother-in-law, Charles (Helen) Tollerud, Bismarck; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Orville was preceded in death by his loving wife, Ardelle; his parents; sister, Helen (Jack) Ikel; daughter-in-law, Bev Erickson; brother-in-law, Mervin (Betty) Tollerud; and sister-in-law, Jane (Don) Solum.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to the Faith Lutheran Endowment Fund or to the donor’s choice.

To share memories of Orville and to view the service livestream, go to www.eastgatefuneral.com.