Mary D. Erickson
Saturday, February 12, 1944
Date of Death:
Monday, June 23, 2025
Age:
81 years old
Saturday, February 12, 1944
Date of Death:
Monday, June 23, 2025
Age:
81 years old
Saturday, February 12, 1944
Date of Death:
Monday, June 23, 2025
Age:
81 years old
Mary D. Erickson
Mary Erickson (Jacob) (Orke) passed away peacefully at home on Monday June 23, 2025, after a struggle with cancer that she couldn’t win. She was 81 years old.
Mary was born February 12, 1944, in Lake City, MN. She was the second of four children born to Fred and Lucy (Meyer) Jacob. She felt lucky to grow up in beautiful Lake City surrounded by all of her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friend, Connie.
During high school Mary was asked to work at the soda fountain in Wheeler/Kennedy Drug Store. It was a job that she loved, as she felt so much a part of the community (and it was air-conditioned).
After graduating from Lincoln High School in 1962 she attended the UofM, where she earned a degree in Home Economics Education. While at the university, she met and married Don Orke in 1964. After both had completed their educations, they made Rochester their home. In 1968 their daughter, Lisa, was born.
In the years that followed, Don pursued his career as Director of Parks for Rochester and Mary taught at Kellogg Junior High School. As laws changed in 1975, both boys and girls were required to take home economics and industrial arts classes. This meant a major revision of curricula. Mary went back to the UofM to obtain her Master’s Degree in Education, and write new curriculum with colleague and close friend, Martha Schwartz. Mary also enrolled in woodworking and metals classes, to experience what her students were learning.
The years progressed, Lisa graduated and went off to college, and Mary filled the void by obtaining a Master’s Degree in School Counseling. This earned her the title of Education Specialist within the Rochester school system. She was an exemplary teacher, never failed a student and always went above and beyond for each student. Mary was also very involved with TLC, an indoor pet kennel they owned. They divorced in 1994.
Mary was fortunate to meet Norm Erickson at Toastmasters. They fell in love and were married December 28, 1996. Norm worked at IBM and Mary continued teaching until 2001. She was saddened when the life skills classes of Industrial Technology and FACS (Home Economics) were eliminated in Rochester Middle Schools in 2011. During their first 10 years of marriage, Mary worked with Norm to create needed affordable housing for nursing students in Rochester. Together they bought and remodeled several properties.
When 2009 rolled around, Norm “retired” from IBM for the second time. He and Mary had started a small hazelnut farm in Lake City, and they decided it was time to move back to her hometown. Back in Lake City, Mary enjoyed reconnecting with her family, high school friends, joining her beloved garden club and getting to know her wonderful neighbors.
Mary is survived by her husband, Norm Erickson, daughter Lisa Orke, grandson Jacob Berg, sisters Georgia (Tony) Zugay and family, Susan (Randy) Eggenberger and family, brother John (Lani) Jacob and family, her uncle Paul Meyer and lots of wonderful cousins. Her second family includes stepsons Aaron, Jason and Evan Erickson and stepdaughter Andrea (Kevin) Birr, Norm’s two brothers, Alan and Steven Erickson and their families. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, stepbrother, Phillip Erickson and stepsister, Francine Parker.
As Mary was a long-time participant in the Study on Aging, her body will be donated to Mayo Clinic and there will be no formal funeral at this time.
She would like to thank all her friends and family for their kind and thoughtful cards and calls.
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The family of Mary D. Erickson has received the following condolences.
Lisa, my condolences to you and your family on the loss of your mom. Mary was always so kind. From playing or sleepovers at the farm or Silver Lake, we always had fun. Occasionally she gave us a coin to walk to Hunt’s and buy penny candy. And later I was fortunate to have her as a Home Ec teacher as well. My mom and I laughed when as adults, she realized that my sister and I peel onions the same way (not the way my mom does) and we learned it from Mary. Your mom will live on in the memories of many people but I wanted to share a couple of mine with you. So sorry for your loss.
Loved being in Ms Orke's class at Kellogg. All these years later, I still remember how cool it was that she brought in a whole pile of pumpkins and gourds for Halloween, and encouraged us to paint and dress them up, for a sort of pumpkin decorating contest. "Spuds McKenzie" was part of a Budweiser ad campaign at the time, and let us paint up our pumpkin in his likeness, and even made sure a picture made its way into the yearbook. She would not have needed to do that, but after that--our bunch of "edgy" junior high boys put Ms. Orke firmly in the "cool" category, and would've done anything she ever asked us to do.
Thanks for being the kind of teacher who let kids do semi-inappropriate things, so that when you asked them to do the real stuff, we did it without questioning. It was a big deal.
Lisa, I am so deeply sadden to learn of your mother’s passing. I am so pleased that you both stopped to visit me just a month ago. I was so privileged to have worked with her at Kellogg middle school! Lisa , please feel free to stop by anytime!
My condolences to your family. Mrs. Orke was my favorite teacher at Kellogg (1985-1988). I took every one of her home economics classes. She always made me love going to her classes.
Kimberly Nelson