Kathrine Erickson

Kathrine Erickson was born to Ole and Martha Ofstedal Refling on August 10, 1916, in Garden Township, Polk County near Rindal, MN. She attended rural school in Garden Township near her family farmstead and graduated from Fertile High School in 1934, after which she attended McIntosh Normal Training Department for one year. She taught four years in the rural schools of Polk County, MN. In 1940, she earned her Standard Certification, and taught in Bagley, MN, for three years and Breckinridge, MN, for one year. Kathrine was united in marriage to Albin Erickson on June 17, 1944. Albin died January 12, 1955, at the age of 39. She then resumed her teaching career. She taught in the Fertile Public Schools for 11 years. During her last year teaching in Fertile, she was Elementary School Principal and part time Junior High Social Studies and English teacher. During that time she received her B.S. degree from Moorhead State Teachers College. In 1966, she and her daughter, KayAnn, moved to Moorhead, MN, where Kathrine taught school at Lincoln Elementary School for 12 years. While teaching, she received two advanced degrees from Moorhead State Teachers College. In 1968, with other students from Moorhead State Teachers College, a comparative education class was taken observing schools in England, Germany, France and Spain. In her teaching career she was involved in innovative curriculum studies and served on various boards and offices in the Minnesota Education Association. She also was active in Trinity Lutheran Church Moorhead, Retired Teachers, Epsilon Chapter Delta Kappa Gamma, National Embroiders Guild of America, and various volunteer activities at the YWCA, Eventide Lutheran Home, Trinity Lutheran Church, and other local organizations.After retiring in 1978, Kathrine traveled extensively in Norway, China, Greece, Puerto Rico, Mediterranean countries, and various areas of the United States. She was preceded in death by her husband, Albin; parents, Ole and Martha Refling; and brother, Orin Refling.Survivors are her daughter, KayAnn Erickson; nephew, Roger Refling; and nieces, Marlys Engh, Angie Johnson, and Rosalind Brown.