Doreen Ellen Nora Erickson, 97, of Lakeville, Minn.

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LAKEVILLE, Minn. — Doreen Ellen Nora Erickson, 97, passed away Monday, March 29, 2021, in her home at The Fountains of Hosanna in Lakeville, Minn. She was surrounded by her four daughters.


Doreen was born on December 27, 1923, to Henry and Ida (Bartels) Scheel of rural Alpena. She attended school in Lane, and graduated in 1941. She then completed secretarial training and used that throughout her life as a church secretary in Hawaii, Wessington Springs, Huron and Sioux Falls, South Dakota.


She was united in marriage to Louis E. Dethlefs on December 23, 1945. The US Air Force took them to California and Hawaii. Louis’ illness brought them back to South Dakota and he passed away on August 6, 1954. To this union, Sonja, Sandra and Gregg were born.

A few years after Louis’ death, Doreen reconnected with her high school classmate, LaVerne (Tuffy) Erickson. They were married on November 30, 1957. To this union Debra and Tamra were born.  The family lived on the Erickson homestead for many years before moving to Wessington Springs.  They later resided in Huron and retired in Sioux Falls.


Doreen is survived by her daughters, Sonja (Charlie) Anderson of Sioux Falls, Sandra (Dan) Albertsen of Watertown, Debra Erickson-Louchart of Gainesville, Ga., and Tamra (Steven) Erickson-Hobbs of Lakeville, Minn.; her daughter-in-law, Suzanne Dethlefs of Kittredge, Colo.; 16 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Ardis Lillehaug.


She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Louis and Tuffy; son, Gregg; son-in-law, Randy; great-grandson, Zane; brothers, Elmer and Lester; sisters, Wanda and Vera; as well as many other relatives.