Jonathan A. Erickson Memorial

Jonathan Alexander Erickson, age 24, Ironwood, MI passed away on Monday, December 9th , 2019.

Jon was a minimalist but loved experiences and lived life to its fullest. He truly enjoyed being in nature and the serenity of the outdoors. From snowboarding at his local ski hills to the fresh powder of the American West, from extreme mountain biking in Copper Harbor to simply watching the bonfire on the shore of Lake Superior, he enjoyed any activity involving The Great Outdoors. In addition to being a kind-hearted soul who enjoyed discussions about life’s “big questions”, Jon had a competitive streak. He enjoyed soccer and golf as well as eSports such League of Legends where he achieved platinum rank in Seasons 4 and 5. He led his life with kindness and compassion, a calm inner strength, and a subtle sense of humor.

Family was to Jon much more important than his other hobbies and sports. As children, Jon and his younger sister and best friend Katie spent as much time together as they could, including both dressing up as Batman for Halloween in 1999 to “Save the World” together. Jon carried on that desire to “save the world” as an adult and was willing to help anyone who needed it. His Grandpa Blaise and grandparent-figure Nancy appreciated Jon’s hard work on projects at home and at the cabin and had great conversations during that time. Jon loved visiting his Uncle Bill and Aunt Marianne at their farm. His Auntie Lee and Auntie Sandy loved him like a son. Jon’s cousins Eric, Alyssa, and Mitch were like siblings to him, spending many weekends, holidays, and vacations together. He had deep love for his family and friends and is deeply loved in return.

Jon's journey brought him westward to the State of Oregon. In Salem he began working with AmeriCorps and volunteering with children in order to help bring them a brighter future. This was the point where Jon started his struggle with mental illness. Sudden changes in his hopes and dreams made everyone around him concerned about his wellness. Every young adult wonders what the future will bring, but for Jon it seemed to consume more of his thoughts than the average person. His inquisitive nature and desire to seek out answers to life’s “unanswerable questions” began to consume his thought processes. Jon’s family and friends grew concerned and spent much time over the next year with medical professionals trying to figure out what was happening. Jon continued trying to make sense out of his confused thoughts only to conclude through the medical professionals that he was struggling with the disease of schizophrenia. Jon battled with the support of his family, friends, and health care professionals to try to find a solution, which was not attainable. On Monday, December 9th, 2019, Jon passed on to his next journey to find out the answers to these questions that do not have answers. Jon will be missed by everyone that he touched, and his love and kindness will be carried on.

This memorial is being made to increase awareness of mental health issues and the impacts they have on both the person and the families and friends around them. The funds provided to support this cause will be used to provide support for mental health services in the Gogebic County, Michigan and Iron County, Wisconsin communities. We hope that Jon’s brief time spent with us will help increase awareness for mental illness and other people and families struggling with this disease for years to come. Your donation will help achieve Jon’s dream and you can also be a part of his journey to help others with this illness.

“We were so lucky to have Jon as our son for 24 years. Thank you to the community for supporting Jon during his recent struggle and for supporting us during our time of grief. Please consider helping others during this holiday season by donating to local community mental health initiatives and services in Gogebic County and Iron County via the link below.”

-Scott and Elaine Erickson

“Life is like a song. It’s not the duration of the song or the notes, it’s the richness of the melody and the way it touches the soul. When it has enriched your life, when it lingers in your heart, is it finished? Or is it everlasting?” (Paraphrased from Edgar Guest)

(In order to be transparent and to comply with GoFundMe requirements, this post is being made by Eric Hilgart. I am a cousin of Jonathan Erickson and have set this up in coordination with the rest of the family who is on the fundraising team. An account for withdrawals has been set up at Flagstar Bank in Ironwood, Michigan which  will be used to distribute the funds by his sister, Katie Erickson.)

For those who wish to donate but do not want to use a web platform you may send a donation directly to:

Jonathan A. Erickson Memorial Fund
c/o Flagstar Bank
900 E. Cloverland Dr.
Ironwood, MI 49938