Rodney Lee Erickson

Rodney Lee Erickson was born on May 25th, 1958 to Adolph and Darlyne (Bateman) Erickson in Long Prairie, MN. During his youth, he was given the nickname “Pete”, and a few people still think of him as “Pete”. He graduated from Long Prairie High School in 1976. He then attended Alexandria Technical and Community College, graduating from the diesel mechanic program.

Rod was then hired at US Steel MinnTac in Mountain Iron, MN in 1978 and then he met Charlene Sutliff in that area in 1979. They were united in marriage on June 6th, 1981 in Virginia, MN. After MinnTac did major lay-offs in 1981, the couple moved to the Long Prairie area in 1982 where they both worked at Little Elk Ranch for a time and then Rod started working at Long Prairie Plumbing and Heating. In 1984, Rod and Char started their own business called Countryside Plumbing and Heating where Rod continued to work until his passing. Throughout their marriage, Rod and Char enjoyed traveling to many warm places and also took cycle trips on their Harley Davidson to Sturgis and the Black Hills a few times. Rod and Char were blessed with their daughter Tiffany in 1987. Rod was a very devoted, helpful, and outgoing Dad. He was very involved in his daughter’s life and often took Tiffany and many of her friends to high school sporting events, from which they have many fond memories. He also taught Tiff to hunt and they enjoyed that sport together throughout his life. Rod and his close friend Lyle Lubbers were girls basketball coaches together and Rod was an active school board member from the time that Tiff started kindergarten until she graduated from high school in 2005. During this time he was honored to be able to personally hand many of his nieces, nephews and close friends their diplomas as they crossed the stage at graduation. 

Rod was known for his love of hunting, fishing and guns. He especially loved hunting for deer, elk, and mule deer. He took many hunting trips to Colorado and Wyoming. He has many friends who traveled with him to share these hunting experiences. He was also an avid and skilled trapper along the Long Prairie River; a skill he learned from his good family friend Floyd Warner. He loved golfing and early mornings. Many early mornings he could be found at Holiday Gas Station having coffee and a chocolate chip cookie with a group of local guys who referred to themselves as “The Smart Circle”. They know who they are. He was always there to help others and his love of serving the community was expressed by many years serving as a Todd County Commissioner. He will be remembered for being fun, someone everyone could count on, an amazing friend, brother, son and for loving his grandchildren dearly. He will be greatly missed. 

Rodney Lee Erickson passed away on Friday, May 19th, 2023, at his home at the age of 64 after a long battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Char; daughter Tiffany (Brad) Erickson; grandchildren, Ryker, Grayson and Charlie; brother Al “Eric” (Vickie) Erickson; sister Donna (Glenn “Charlie”) Park; nieces and nephews: Jon (Elizabeth) Park and children, Griffin (Kristianne, Bridget, Addison & Kaliah), Haden and Avery; Jeff (Stacy) Park and children, Payton, Alli and Colton: Megan (Phil) McCracken, and daughter Clara; Shannon Raya and children Roberto (Leon), Stef and Lili; Kristin (Montrell) Yancey and children, Jackson, Kaia and Mason; Aaron (Amity) Erickson and daughters, Addie and Agnes; Sara (Jim) Erickson and Seth Dostal: and sister-in-law Vickie (Ed) Gorny. Rod was preceded in death by his parents, Adolph and Darlyne Erickson, his in-laws, Frank and Laura Sutliff, and both sets of grandparents, Art and Anna Erickson and Bill and Helen Bateman. 

Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 PM on Friday, June 16th, 2023 at the First Baptist Church in Long Prairie. A Memorial Service will be held at noon on Saturday, June 17th, 2023 at the First Baptist Church, with a visitation one hour prior to the service. Following the lunch at the church (about 3 PM), there will be a final farewell cycle ride for Rod around town that will end at Thunder Lodge for a “Celebration of Life”.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the family.

At the visitation and memorial service, please wear camouflage or bright colors.

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