Mrs. Maxine Louise (Krachey) Erickson, age 98, of Bear Branch, Indiana, was born on July 2, 1919 in Wales, North Dakota and passed away at 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 9, 2018 at the Swiss Villa Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Vevay, Indiana. She was the first-born and loving daughter of the late, Vincent James Krachey Sr. and Lillian August (Pfaff) Krachey. She was raised in Wales, North Dakota and in 1935 her family relocated to a farm in Valparaiso, Indiana. She attended high school and graduated from Washington Township High School in 1937. She met and married her high school sweetheart, Leonard John Erickson on September 18, 1938 in Crown Point, Indiana. They had three children, Patricia, John and Sharon, all graduates of Washington Township High School in Valparaiso, Indiana. During World War II when Leonard was in the US Navy, Maxine worked at the Sweetheart Apron Factory in Valparaiso. Later in life she worked at Harvey’s Department Store in Valparaiso, Indiana. On November 22, 1982, Maxine’s beloved husband of 44 years passed away. She will always be remembered for being a loving wife and devoted mother who, along with Leonard, were charter members and lifelong supporters of the Washington Township Evangelical Free Church in Valparaiso, Indiana. Their community service and outreach to members of their community was a wonderful example of “loving thy neighbor as thyself.”

Maxine will be deeply missed by her daughters, M Patricia Egan and her husband: James of Mystic, CT and Sharon Louise Agnew of Chatham, IL; her son, John Leonard Erickson and his wife: Laura of Bear Branch, IN; her grandchildren, Colleen Marie Egan of Norwich, CT; Leonard James Egan and his wife: Jen of Brookfield, CT; Matthew Christopher Edic and his wife: Teresa of Columbus, OH; Melissa Colleen (Agnew) Coulter and her husband: Bryan of Springfield, IL and Kathryn Elizabeth (Erickson) Elliot and her husband: Daniel of Floyds Knobs, IN; her great-grandchildren, Brett Egan, Kelsey Egan (Alan Klotz), Erica Bousquett, Riley Egan, William Erickson Edic, Grace Kathryn Edic and Ethan Andrew Coulter; her great-great-grandchildren, Avery and Kendall Klotz; her sister-in-law, Jean Brown and her husband: Bob of Lemont, IL; her brother-in-law, Bruce Glover of Los Angeles, CA; her second-cousin, Barbara (Koerber) Boyson and her husband: John of Houston, TX and her several nieces, nephews cousins and dear friends.

She was the last living member of her immediate Krachey family and was preceded in death by her parents, Vincent J. Krachey, Sr., died in 1973 and Lillian (Pfaff) Krachey, died in 1928; her husband, Leonard John Erickson, died November 22, 1982; her brothers, Vincent J. Krachey, Jr. died in 1971 and William Maynard Krachey, died in 2014; her sister, Marie "Betty" Koerber Glover, died in 2016 and her half-brothers, Harvey Calvin Blaisdell, died in 1988 and Earl Elton, died in 2002

Friends may call 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Monday, January 15, 2018, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street Vevay, Indiana 47043.

Funeral services will be conducted Monday, January 15, 2018, at 6:00 pm, by Pastor Patrick Lanman at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street Vevay, Indiana 47043.

Interment will follow in the Graceland Cemetery, Valparaiso, Indiana.

Memorial contributions may be made to Olive Branch Baptist Church, Gideon's International Memorial Bible Program or Charity of the Donor's Choice. Cards are available at the funeral home or online at www.haskellandmorrison.com
Special appreciation goes to the caring staff at Swiss Villa Nursing & Rehabilitation Center for the constant and loving care of Maxine.

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