Obituary of Ralph Edward Erickson, Sr

On Monday, November 13th, 2023, Ralph Edward Erickson, Sr., loving husband and father of two children, passed away at the age of 70. An avid sailor, he passed peacefully in his sleep while on an extended sailing trip on the Atlantic Ocean.

Ralph was born on June 26th, 1953 in Bridgewater, NJ to Alvin and Nancy Erickson. He spent his childhood in the same town, only moving away when he went to pursue a Bachelors Degree in Psychology at Tennessee Wesleyan University. It was there that he met Patricia Carver who would become his wife of 47 years.

Ralph and Patricia lived in Tennessee, New Jersey, and Maryland before settling outside of Allentown, PA, where they raised their two sons. In 2019 he and Patricia retired to Charleston, SC. He was well-respected among his peers while working 34 years as the director at the Transitional Living Center (TLC), as well as in other roles within the Lehigh Valley Health Network. It was there that he dedicated his life to helping those around him, including both the patients as well as deeply caring for the needs of his staff.

Ralph had a deeply held Christian faith and let it show in the way he cared for and served those around him. When health issues would arise with his wife, he stopped at nothing to stay by her side and care for her every need. He was the embodiment of the word sacrifice. In his retirement, Ralph volunteered with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Ralph was preceded in death by his wife and two parents. He is survived by his brother Alvin, his sons Ralph II and Adam, Adam’s wife Hannah, and three grandchildren, Zelda, Lily, and Titus.

Ralph will be honored on Thursday, December 7th, 2023 at Seacoast Church - Mount Pleasant, SC at 12:30 p.m. followed by internment at Mount Pleasant Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to Spectrum Sailing (https://spectrumsailing.org/), an organization created to bring the joy of sailing to children with Autism.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Ralph Erickson, Sr, please visit our Tree Store