Geneva Mae Phillips Erickson

Geneva Mae Phillips Erickson, died in her home in Lincoln, California, on March 6, after a short struggle with cancer. She was 89.

Erickson was born Feb. 2, 1928, in Big Stone, South Dakota, to Lawrence and Emma Phillips. After three brothers Douglas, Stanley, and John whom Geneva loved dearly, she finally got a little sister named Colleen.

A beautiful, smart and enthusiastic young woman in Livermore, California, she was among the earliest hires at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 1954. Together with an extraordinary team, she was instrumental in setting up the telephone communications center. That's where she met her husband-to-be Robert “Pat” Erickson, who had just returned from serving in the Navy in both WWII and Korea, and they married in 1957. They enjoyed many hobbies together including cooking, gardening, fishing California streams and lakes, traveling the U.S. and later cruising with family and Masonic friends, while at the same time enjoying and overseeing their grandchildren’s 4H events and school performances.

After retiring they moved to Rocklin, California, where they again enjoyed crafting their house into a home, discovering new restaurants and the occasional fishing hole in the Sierras. Erickson always had a talent for needle crafts and her husband joined her in her new-found interest in rug hooking by helping to design prize worthy rugs.

Erickson and her husband were active in the Masonic and Eastern Star organizations and strong supporters of Shriners' Hospitals.

Erickson was preceded in death by her husband, Robert in 2008. She is survived by her daughter, Billie, and her son-in-law, Ubaldo Calvo; by her grandchildren: Rocco, and his wife, Ida Cefalu Maitino; Matthew, and his wife, Lauren Maitino; Robin Maitino, and her life partner, William Erben; by her brother, Stanley Phillips, and her sister and brother-in-law, Colleen and David Wuchenich.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Shriners.