Freman Augustus Ericson

Freman Augustus Ericson, aka Leif, was born July 30, 1928 in Cleveland, Ohio to Anna Eliasson Ericson and August Ericson. He passed from this life on August 6, 2014. Leif is survived by his wife of 62 years, Carolyn; a daughter, Arden; son, August (Jana) Ericson II all of Hot Springs; his sister, Inez Johnson of Turlock, Calif.; brother-in-law, Alan C. (Patricia) Peterson Sr. of Mt. Airy, Ga.; cousins in the U.S. include Ian (Marion) Moir of Mesa, Ariz.; Nancy Darling of Cleveland Hts., Ohio and all their families. Leif also has many more Eliasson and Ericson cousins in Sweden and Austria. There are also many nieces and nephews throughout the United States all of whom knew Leif's gentleness, fun, and dry wit. Leif also has three grandsons: Eric LaCombe of San Antonio, Texas; Jonathan LaCombe of Hot Springs; and Robert LaCombe of San Antonio, Texas. He also has one granddaughter, Emily Ericson of Hot Springs; one great-granddaughter, Nicole LaCombe of San Antonio, Texas; and Godchild, Lauren Zimmerman of Hope, Ark. Leif spent his first 18 years in Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from University School in Shaker Heights and went into the Army serving in Korea as a Military Policeman during the end of World War II. He graduated from Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland in 1952 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. After two weeks of being a graduate, he married Carolyn and they left the north for his first job in Pasadena, Texas as construction engineer for Foster Wheeler Corp. putting in refineries. From there to Norco, La. for 19 months and finally to Baltimore, Md. also erecting refinery equipment. After three years of moving around, he accepted a job in Baltimore with Armco Steel & Metal Products in Baltimore and lived in Arnold, Md. He began his "work" travels then since he was Asst. Construction Mgr., Eastern Division and covered from Norfolk, Va. north through Maine and included New York State, Eastern Pa. and all in between. During a reshuffling, he was promoted to manager. After being there for eight years he was ready to move on…so we bought equipment and went into the home-improvement business in the Greater Washington, DC area. Beauty-Guard of Greater Washington, Inc. began in 1960 and after a slow start was quite successful since we applied roll-formed seamless aluminum sidings to exteriors. His next adventure was with his in-laws in 1967 to purchase a then defunct steel rolling mill outside Magnolia, Ark. Leif and Alan moved there leaving their families to sell homes, etc. and after 2-1/2 years, the house in Mutual, Md. sold and we became Arkansans. After installing an electric furnace, we had a major gas problem which closed down Kalmar Steel. Leif then began to rep for Continental Alloy Steel of Cleveland, OH but he remained in Magnolia, Ark. and opened up the Southwest Division, later becoming V.P. of same. Weary of working for someone else again, he was one of the four men who began A.J. Weller Corp. in Shreveport, La. and continued to work in his love of sales "calling on his friends and getting paid to do it!" He always wanted to work until he was 75 but "took early retirement at 74 and eleven-twelfth!" He had trouble with retirement since his work was his life – he loved it! Hope Craver, our friend since 1960 was the one that taught him how to relax and travel and have fun and we did just that for over 50 years…with the Cravers. Leif was raised and married in the Swedish Mission Covenant Church. During the many relocations of his next 62 years, he always found a new Church Family for friendships which are still intact. He has been ordained and served as a Deacon and a Ruling Elder in Presbyterian churches in Annapolis, Md.; Severna Park, Md.; Magnolia, Ark.; and at his present church, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Hot Springs, Ark. Leif also was a Rotarian in Magnolia for several years and his latest membership was with the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club. While at Case in Cleveland he joined Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. In his travels he also took extra courses at the University of Houston and at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. Since his father was a home-builder, he way always interested in real estate and over the years was able to use his advance courses in gathering same. He never saw an "open house" sign he didn't want to investigate and compare. Although there were many downs as well as ups, Leif felt that he had lived a great life, had food friends, loved his family (who loved him back), enjoyed all the homes he lived in, loved all the traveling he did (he thought traveling Arkansas for a living and getting paid for it was great), never met a stranger, and remained in awe of all that God had done for him and his family. We will all miss him! Memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, August 23 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Hot Springs. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service. www.arkansasfuneralcare.com.