Lorraine Audrey was born April 9, 1920 to Paul and Louise Ericksen and went ahead to her new home on April 22, 2023. She was the second generation of her family born in Evanston Illinois. Her family had been residents of Chicago since 1842. Lorraine grew up in Evanston attending Haven Junior High School and Evanston Township High School. As a young person she accepted Jesus as her personal savior. That decision affected her life’s choices and decisions. After high school she longed to attend college but as a result of the depression she went to work at the Continental bank in the Chicago loop. She also took classes at the Chicago Art Institute It was at the bank that she met Lloyd William Peterson who became her husband June 14, 1941. She and Lloyd established their first home in northern Wisconsin on a farm owned by Lloyd’s father in Port Wing. Their first son Wayne was born there. A few years later they moved to northern Illinois where Lloyd was involved in agriculture. In 1946 Lloyd went to work at the First National Bank of Evanston. Shortly after Susan Jean was born. Later the family moved to Glenview and welcomed David Lloyd. Lorraine was active in her church where she participated in the choir and sang in quartets. In the early 1980’s Lloyd retired from his job at First National Bank of Evanston, and Lorraine and Lloyd moved to Sawyer, Michigan where they had built a home in Bethany Beach. During the 15 years prior to leaving the Chicago area and after raising her family, Lorraine worked in real estate and was a librarian in the local school system. During this time, she also took up the game of golf, and she and Lloyd played many rounds together.
After Lloyd passed away after 43 years of marriage, Lorraine developed an artist talent and painted a variety of subjects while she spent time in Bethany Beach and in Sun City, Arizona.
In 1990, Lorraine married E.W. (Bill) Ceder, a friend she had met in Bethany Beach and who also spent time in Arizona. They were happily married for 8 years. After his passing Lorraine continued the pattern of spending her winters in Arizona and summers in Bethany Beach until she met and married Stan Erickson in 2004. She then began a new pattern of spending the winters in Florida at Stans’s home and summers in Bethany Beach at her home. Recently as her mobility became restricted, she and Stan made their home at Woodland Terrace in Bridgman, Michigan. Stan passed away in 2018 after 14 years of marriage.
Lorraine’s passions in life were her love of art and music, her faith in Christ, and her family and friends. She made sure that these things were always considered. As time has passed, she has seen many of her friends go on ahead of her including three husbands, two sisters, and a brother. It is for this reason, the time of remembering her will be deferred until a later date when many of her extended family and remaining friends can gather to share memories.
Lorraine E Erickson is survived by her third husband Stanley Erickson’s four children Stanton of Illinois; Steve of Colorado, Sheldon of California and Susan Jertberg of Florida and their children and grandchildren. She is also survived by the daughter of Bill Ceder Joan Barram and her children and grandchildren and the children and grandchildren of Bill Ceder’s deceased daughter Barbara Jensen. She is also survived by children by her first husband Lloyd Peterson; Wayne A Peterson of California, Susan J Adams of North Carolina and David L Peterson of Illinois and their children and grandchildren.
A graveside service at Riverside Cemetery in Three Oaks was conducted on April 25, 2023. Memorials may be made in her name to Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, a school she has long supported.
Arrangements are entrusted to Pike Funeral and Cremation Services, The Boyd Chapel, 9191 Red Arrow Hwy, Bridgman.