Betty Erickson

Koosharem, Utah - Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother Betty Ruth Ward Reutter Erickson, age 78, of Koosharem, passed away in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 17, 2007 in St. George, Utah, after a valiant battle with cancer. She was born July 11, 1928 in Evansville, Indiana, a daughter of Gobel and Ruth Morgan Ward. She graduated from Evansville High School, Class of 1945. Betty married William Reutter September 10, 1947 in Evansville, Indiana. They were later divorced. She married Merrill E. Erickson, January 2, 1966 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Betty made gorgeous ceramics for 22 years. She retired from Rockwell International Aircraft Company in California, after 30 years as a Secretary. She and Merrill moved to Koosharem, where she truly loved the “Town of Koosharem and all of the people there.” She is survived by her husband, Merrill, of Koosharem; children: Michael W. and Pat Reutter of Monroe; Gilbert A. and Loretta Reutter of Las Vegas, NV; Judy and Ben Dale of Salt Lake City; Kelly and Alice Erickson of St. George; Debbie Desmond of Lomita, CA; Bill Erickson of Salt Lake City; Colin and Jody Erickson of Riverside, CA; 20 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her father, Gobel Ward; mother, Ruth Morgan Ward Whitmer; step-father, Louie Whitmer; brother, Marvin Ward and sister, Joyce Chaffin. Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 24, 2007 at 1:00 P.M. in the Koosharem LDS Ward Chapel, where friends may call for viewing Saturday morning from 11:00 to 12:30 prior to the services. Burial will be in the Koosharem Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield, Salina and Gunnison, Utah.