On Saturday, September 12th, family, friends, and fellow Rotarians attended a Memorial service for Jerry at Stevenson Park. We were blessed with beautiful weather, stories from some of his closest friends, and a helicopter flyover.
Our country lost a true American this week. Gerald L. (Jerry) Ericsson passed away after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer on September 4, 2020. Visitation hours are from 5-7 pm on Friday, September 11th at Jeter Funeral Home in Friendswood. Memorial services will be led by Pastor Ralph Holbratschk of Hope Lutheran Church and held at Stevenson Park in Friendswood on Saturday, September 12th at 10:30 AM. The interment ceremony with full Military Honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.
Jerry served two tours as a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War and was a two-time Purple Heart recipient, among many other commendations. He served in The Rattlers as Rattler 19 and as Firebird 94 from July 1968 to July 1969. Those who were there at the time know of his Chicken Plate which saved him from a bullet to the heart. His service continued with a second tour in Vietnam from November 1971 through November 1972.
After active duty, Jerry served in the Texas National Guard and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He was the battalion commander of an AH-64 Apache Unit and Facility Commander at Ellington Field, Houston, TX. He also served as a member of the Friendswood City Council and as President and active member of the Friendswood Rotary Club.
"A part-time hero and all-around good guy," Jerry was a man of great integrity and honor. A storyteller, Jerry never met a stranger. He was well-liked, admired and respected by all those who had the honor to know him and serve under his command. He is dearly missed, but his stories will live on ...
Jerry was the first-born son of Conrad and Josephine Kovarna Ericsson in Sioux City, Iowa, followed by his brother, Art Ericsson, sister, Donna Felder and brother, Mark Ericsson. Jerry is also survived by his beloved wife, Becky, children, Blake, Chase and wife, Jennifer and three grandchildren, Jake, Cash and Elizabeth.
