Fern Pauline Erickson

Fern Pauline Erickson, 90, was called to her forever home on Friday, May 4, 2018, with her daughter by her side. Visitation will be held at O’Connor Funeral Home on Thursday, May 10th from 12:00 noon until 7:30 pm when the vigil service begins in the O’Connor Memorial Chapel. The funeral liturgy will be on Friday, May 11th at 1pm at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church with Father Alphonsus Enelichi officiating and burial will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery. Mom was born June 8, 1927 to Mae (Mann) and Anthony (Toney) Grossman in Great Falls, Montana. She joined an older brother, Robert Dale and two years later a sister, Joyce Katherine (Tackes) who completed the family. Living on a farm 10 miles east of Power, Mom went to grade school at a country school, Pleasant Ridge, a school both her father and her daughter attended. She went on to graduate as valedictorian of Power High School in 1945. After graduation she moved to the big city, Great Falls, and went to work at Montana Bank (First Interstate), that was the start of a 41 year career in the banking industry. January 19, 1948, she married Lawrence Wayne Erickson in Malta, Montana. They were married 50 years. Dad, a retired truck driver, passed away September 21, 1998. After marriage she went on to work at Citizens Bank in Havre, Mt and in 1950 their daughter, Carol Marie, was born. In 1951 the family moved to Great Falls and she went to work for 1st National Bank (now U. S. Bank). In 1969 she was promoted and became their 1st woman officer. She worked until June of 1986 putting in a total of 35 years with that bank. She retired as comptroller of the bank. Not one to sit idle, she then went to work part time at Strain Properties, J. C. Penny until 1996 and then River Drive North Storage. She was an election judge for many years and made many friends there. She was a member of the D.A.V. Auxiliary and Our Lady of Lourdes Church. She was very active in Great Falls Business and Professional Club, Alice B. McPhail Parliamentary Law and Zonta Club and served as president of all three. She was also a member of the NABW (National Association of Bank Women). She was also treasurer for the residents’ council for Eagles Manor. In December of 2017 she fell and broke her shoulder. After surgery and recovery she could not go back to her apartment at the Eagles. In February she moved into assisted living at Golden Eagle Plaza. Mom LOVED to play BINGO and her and Dad enjoyed going to Vegas. She would babysit grand kids and the great grands and absolutely loved family gatherings and she especially loved taking everyone out to eat. She is survived by her daughter, Carol and her husband, Paul Moes; her grandchildren, Bonita Moes and Christopher Moes; great grandchildren Derek Moes, Brandon Moes, Ashlyn Smith, Caitlyn Smith, Axel Paul Moes, Kinden Moes and Christina Moes; great-great granddaughter five month old Reagan Mae to whom she adored; nieces: Linda Sullivan, Leah McIntosh, Debbie Morris and Patti Eskew; and nephews David Tackes and Toney Grossman. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband and nephew Michael Grossman. In lieu of flowers memorials maybe sent to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church or the Parkinson’s Association for further research.