Peter Erickson
Dates
April 19, 1936 - February 24, 2026Obituary
Peter Erickson, 89, of Plankinton, SD, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at Edgewood Assisted Living in Mitchell. Join us on March 28 at 11:00 AM at Bittner Funeral Home in Mitchell to hear his playlist and to celebrate his amazing life. Peter died just shy of his 90th birthday, so we will enjoy birthday cake in his honor.
Peter was a dedicated farmer and was born in the same farmhouse his father was born in, farming the same land his great-grandfather, Halvor Olson, gifted his daughter Alice when she married his grandfather (another Peter Erickson). Pete and his older sister were the only two children of Harris and Thelma Erickson. They were a happy family, very involved in Victor's Lutheran church and the community.
Pete went to Hopper Grade School and Mt. Vernon HS. He attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls but left to join the Air National Guard.
Pete met Ramona Kangas while she was in nursing school, and they married in September 1963. Pete and Mona built a home on the family farm, and that was their primary address for most of their life. They had four children, and they were lucky to have many family members in the Plankinton area.
Pete primarily farmed, but in the 80’s, for a period of time, also owned K&E Implement in Wessington Springs, SD, with Mona’s brothers Jerry and John Kangas. He also teased that he had the perfect government job since he worked for the Census Bureau every 10 years.
Pete was a devoted Christian who taught Sunday school and served as president of the board at Salem Lutheran Church in Mt. Vernon. In later years, he and Mona attended Resurrection Lutheran Church in Mitchell, SD. Pete was also on the school board in Plankinton, where his kids went to school, spanning the 1970’s to the 1990s. He was on the Paletine Township Board for many years, and he was also a member of the Elks Lodge in Mitchell.
He took great joy in watching his kids in their various activities. He was the Simon Cowell of parenting, using humor, blunt truth, and a LOT of sarcasm. This meant you always knew exactly what he was thinking, but you also knew he loved you enough to correct you. Pete loved watching Michael play baseball. He loved listening to Crista sing. He loved discussing politics with Jeff and Jodi. But his greatest joy was watching his grandchildren.
Pete was a lifelong hunter, helping his friend Jim Johnson with his commercial pheasant hunting business. He was a proud NRA member.
Pete took up golf when he retired. This became his favorite pastime. He was at Fish Lake Country Club almost daily during the season. He also enjoyed the Palm Springs golf courses. He and Mona snowbirded in California for 18 years, and some of their happiest memories are with their many friends they made in Canada and California. He said many times that the best decision they ever made was going with his sister Nadine to Sungate.
Pete also joined the Mitchell Car Club when he retired. He purchased his dream 1957 Chevy, and he and Mona went to car shows across the state.
Pete had a great sense of humor and was easy to laugh with. He never carried a grudge. He taught his kids to be humble and pragmatic. He could be blunt but never cruel. He had a strong moral compass. He loved his wife deeply and would occasionally write her poems in their 63 years together. He adored his daughter-in-law, Becky. Pete loved his friends. He got so much joy from Gail Kangas. He had so many wonderful memories of meeting at the corner restaurant after church on Sundays in Mt Vernon and talking with all his friends. Pete appreciated how many friends and neighbors would take time out of their day to come visit him and Mona at Edgewood.
Peter is survived by his 94-year-old sister, who can still run circles around most people; his beautiful wife, Mona; children, Jeff Erickson of Minneapolis, MN, Jodi (Mike) Magera of Parker, CO, Crista Bobinski of Rothschild WI, and Michael (Becky) Erickson of Plankinton, SD; grandchildren, Matthew (Brittanee) Magera, Joe (Olivia) Magera, Mary Magera, Sydney (Isaac) Bobinski, Trey Bobinski, Jack Bobinski, Ava Bobinski, Emma Erickson, Anna Erickson, and Mieka Erickson.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Harris and Thelma Erickson, and Mona’s parents, Roy and Marian Kangas.
Pete will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. He loved music and had a beautiful voice. It was a joy to share a hymnal with him or hear him sing Sinatra or Elvis.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Victor Lutheran Church cemetery, where Pete will be surrounded by his family and friends.
Service
Saturday, March 28, 2026
11:00 AM
Bittner Funeral Chapel
805 W Havens Ave
Mitchell, SD 57301
Cemetery
Victor CemeteryRural Mt. Vernon, SD
Dad still asked about my ex’s family long after the divorce - because that’s who he was. A good man. And as much as he teased me about my cats, I have photos of him with every cat I’ve had. He found 2 orange and white stray kittens and brought them back for Sydney years ago. AND they made an 8 hour trip in his Cadillac with leather seats! That’s a lot of love!
Dad got me into cars. “You see that line? They stopped doing that in 65.” Or “They only did that color for 2 years.” Sundays when mom worked we went to car shows and yes, I did listen to my dad. Sundays were matinee days! Had to grab the Argus Leader from the corner - complain it went from 50cents to a dollar. He could tell you family names and who farmed what. His memory was amazing. Towards the end, when he was more tired, he still asked pertinent questions. He worried about if we were all happy, if kids were ok, if my car had the oil changed recently. He told me about old movies and friends they had (and always what car they drove. Cousins Gary and Ervine always had nice cars!) The trip he took with Dick Camp and Ronnie and Dale? The dances they went to.
He would constantly take off without telling mom where he’d go. We could have a house full of company and he would have to run to Jim’s for coffee. 😂 He could fix anything - even if he hurt his hand and had to have his wedding ring cut off.
He would ask you what you wanted in a drive thru - but when the lady would ask for your order (5 seconds after he just asked you want you wanted…) and he would point at you and say “Tell her your order!!!”
He told me what music he liked to hear when I tried to practice piano. I sang a Gershwin song at a pageant because I knew he’d love it. He thought XM radio was so cool because you could put on the 50’s channel and it was all 50’s music.
He joked he would only leave mom for Uncle Rick 😂. He was good with dogs - even Dexter dog. He would call all dogs boys and all cats were girls. He had creative names for animals like “fat cat” “kitty puss meow” and “fat orange cat.” Or of course “Crista’s cat”
He took his watch and glasses off and put them on the dining room table at night when he went to bed. He had a stupid Casio the alarm went off in the night no one could figure out.
I hear his laugh. I see his smile. His bright blue eyes.
He’s in heaven golfing or on a fancy tractor with GPS and Rush Limbaugh. He is loved. He is missed.
His favorite movie and musical score was from Once Upon a Time in the West:
He loved James Bond movies. He could name every make of car he would see. He could fix anything. He loved chocolate shakes.
He loved watching golf,football ,baseball and basketball but even though his grandkids played hockey, he was never a fan ;)
Dad had so many friends in Palm Springs. He was the kind of guy who could wear his Trump hat and still sit at a table with his Canadian and very Palm Spring’s neighbors. Dad was honest. He taught us to pick up the check. Dad adored it when Mikey moved back to Plankinton and having those girls visit was probably the medicine that kept him alive years longer than he would have been.
Dad really liked his care givers at Edgewood and we will make sure to have turtle candies on hand for them in memory of him.
Dad loved his cousins and his farmer friends and his car club friends. I wish there was room for all the times he mentioned random people in a positive light. You may not have realized how much he recognized kindness. He thought Todd Schlund was a hero to look up to. He thought his niece Nancy was a godsend. He thought the fact our mom has so many of her nursing friends who she still does things with was a blessing.
Dad spent every afternoon most of his life over at his friend Jim’s and Joan would always have desert ready.
It’s a very unique thing to have the same address your whole life. You get the joy of being with all your best friends for many many years. Dad sadly outlived his closest friends. He was so upset when his best man from his wedding, Roger Davis, died and he felt like he would be seeing him soon. He was right.
I pushed dad to stay long enough to meet his first great grandchild who is coming May 1st but he said he was tired. He was ready to be in Heaven with his friends.
Thank you for reaching us about God and the importance of family and work. We were very lucky. Love you, Daddy.
Please drop by and see mom if you are in Mitchell. She is quite fond of banana bread ( that’s a hint to Connie ;)
God bless his family,
Marv Jira
My sincere sympathy.