Keith D. Erickson

Keith D. Erickson, 80 of South Sioux City passed away Thursday, July 14, 2016 at a South Sioux City Care Center.           Memorial services will be 10:30 A.M. Saturday July 16, 2016 at Becker – Hunt Funeral Home with Rev. Clyde D. Pritchett officiating.  Visitation with the family will be from 10 A.M. Saturday until service time at the funeral home.           Keith Donovan Erickson was born with cerebral palsy on October 1, 1935 in Hartington, Nebraska the son of Henry E. and Mable I. (Swihart) Erickson. He grew up on the farm where he did farm chores and helped his father do farm work. Keith and his mother moved to South Sioux City in 1962. Keith’s mother passed away in 1987. Keith continued to live by himself doing all of the house hold chores including mowing the lawn and shoveling snow. He managed his money and went to the Senior Citizen’s Center to eat. He loved to play cards and dance.           Keith was employed as a custodian for Siouxland Concrete for over twenty years. Keith loved to bike around South Sioux City collecting pop cans for the deposits. He also went swimming at the YMCA.           He moved to Regency Square in 2009 and was crowned Valentine’s Day King in 2016.           Keith belonged to the Special Olympics and won over one hundred medals competing in bowling, soccer, volleyball, swimming and Bocce. He was the oldest Special Olympics athlete in the state when he attended the Special Olympics at Creighton University in Omaha. He attended Cross Roads Evangelical Church in South Sioux City.           Survivors include a sister Helen Petersen of North Liberty, Iowa, a sister-in-law Mary Beth Erickson of Cherokee, Iowa, several nieces and nephews, and other friends.           He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers: Kenneth, August and Leonard.           Memorials may be directed to the Cross Roads Evangelical Church or the South Sioux City Volunteer Fire Department.