Andrew August Erickson – March 27, 1970 – November 14, 2010

Our beloved Andrew August Erickson left this world much too soon. He died on Sunday evening, November 14, 2010 in Placer County. His family and many friends express their undying love for him.

Andrew was born on March 27, 1970 to Alfred and Beverly (Swank) Erickson in Memphis, Tennessee. When he was 8 months old, the family moved to Nevada City where Andy, as he was called in his youth, attended Nevada City schools and graduated from Nevada Union High School in 1988. He earned his BA in Political Science and Spanish from UC Santa Barbara in 1992. With his love of languages, he became fluent in Spanish and Portuguese after attending a private high school for six months in Madrid, Spain and his junior year of college at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil.

For the past ten years he worked as an interpreter, translator and transcriber first in legal, medical, and business fields and then as a Certified Federal and State Spanish and Portuguese Court Interpreter and a Registered Italian Court Interpreter. He was the interpreter chosen to make the official translation of the Miranda Rights into the Spanish language. He was a third year law student taking night classes at Lincoln Law School in Sacramento at the time of his death.

Andrew was known for his wit, outrageous sense of humor, linguistic abilities and willingness to entertain his son, niece and nephew with silly stunts and games. Andrew and his son, Nathan, adored each other and looked forward to their times together. Many of Andrew’s friends and classmates say he lit up the room with his presence and was the glue that held things together. He was well liked and admired by his interpreting colleagues, the court community and law school classmates.

Andrew leaves his son Nathan, former wife Silvia, parents Dr. Al and Beverly Erickson, sister and brother-in-law Jenny and Jeff Cooper, niece Michaela Cooper and nephew Joshua Cooper; aunt Shyrl Ann, uncle Gary and cousin Laura Olinger.

He was predeceased by grandparents, Arvid, Sr. and Hilda Erickson and Galen and Elizabeth Swank.

Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Chapel of the Angels Mortuary in Grass Valley with a private graveside service at Deer Creek Cemetery in Nevada City on Dec 28. In keeping with Brazilian tradition, a Memorial Mass (One Month Mass) will be held at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, 6550 Picasso St., Goleta, CA , at 11 AM on January 22, 2011. A public Celebration of Andrew’s Life will be held in late spring with the date to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Andrew A. Erickson Memorial Fund for his son, Nathan, at El Dorado Saving Bank, 1751 E Main Street, Grass Valley, CA 95945 or the charity of your choice.

I am so sorry to announce that our classmate Andrew Erickson passed away this last November 2010. He leaves behind a young son. If you can find it in your hearts to make a donation to his family, it would be well appreciated. After only just spending time with Andrew at the 20-Year Reunion – I am deeply sadened by this news.

Ronald R. Keeling died Jan. 11 in Olympia, Wash. He was 38.

A memorial was held at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 16, at the Ft. Lewis Main Post Chapel. Viewing was held at Woodlawn Funeral Home on Jan. 16, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 1 p.m., where full military honors will be rendered.

Ron was born in Southern California and graduated from Nevada Union High School. He married his wife, Jenifer, on March 15, 1992, in Adak, Alaska. Upon graduation from high school, he entered the Navy and fought in Operation Desert Storm. After serving in the Navy, he enlisted in the Army. Ron is a decorated Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and returned home from his second tour to Iraq in May of 2007. Ron was currently serving as the First Sergeant for Bravo Battery, 5th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, stationed at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

Ron is survived by his wife, Jenifer; his two sons, Al’eck and Chandler Keeling of Olympia, Wash.; his parents, Ronald and Claudia Keeling of Grass Valley; Robyn Keeling of Canyon Lake; grandparents Gladys and Romaine Rammell of Arcadia; father and mother-in-law, Don and Joyce DeWolf of Olympia, Wash.; three sisters, Teresa Pike, Shannon Robinson, and Kim Burkholder; nephews, nieces, cousins, and the soldiers and families of the 5th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment.

Many of us knew Ron and his sisters at school, and he was such a happy and fun person. Please think of Ron today and if you would like to sign the family’s online guestbook with your condolences, please visit www.woodlawn-forest.com.