Olga Erickson Obituary

Olga Flores Erickson of Fort Benton, MT passed away peacefully at the Front Range Independent Living Facility on June 19, 2025 at the age of 89. She was born in Heyden, AZ to Juan Francisco Flores and Paz Mendoza Flores. She was the youngest of seven children. After high school, she attended school in Tucson where she learned essential skills for court reporting and being a paralegal. She met and married her husband George H. Erickson in Florence, AZ. They started their family there where three of their children were born, Dale George Erickson (1958-1994), Jon Alfred Erickson, and Olga Marie Erickson West. Shortly afterward, they moved to Glendive, MT for a year before moving to Fort Benton in 1964 where their youngest son, Gary Charles Erickson was born.
In Fort Benton, Olga first worked as a legal secretary for Dola Wilson and then at the County Welfare Department and became the County Director in the 70s. Olga served on the Board of Opportunities Incorporated and worked with those around the state to better the lives of foster children and families in need. She opened her house and heart to foster children as well. Olga and George were avid bowlers in their early years in Fort Benton traveling to state tournaments. Then as a family, they transitioned to golfing at the Signal Point Golf Course. Upon retirement, Olga took up quilting, and then embroidering and embellishing her crazy quilts. Olga and George played bridge in Fort Benton and Great Falls with friends when they wintered in Temecula, CA. They both earned the award of Life Master in 2012. Olga was an avid baker making dozens of loaves of bread for her family. For years, she made the potato salad for the Chuck Wagon at the Chouteau County Fair. Her kids and grandkids always requested her Mexican food of homemade flour tortillas, refried beans, salsa, and enchiladas upon visiting Fort Benton.
In the later years, her grandkids made flour tortillas under her guidance. George passed away in Nov. of 2016. After, Olga would make the rounds during the holidays and winters to visit Jon, Cindy, Corey, and JD in the Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA, Gary, Heather, Gabe, and Anna in Bothell, WA, and Olga, Guy, Holly, and Cooper in San Diego, CA. In 2022, she moved to Front Range Independent Living Facility in Fort Benton. There she has spent time playing pinochle, bridge, Yahtzee, and bingo with friends Bev, Vera, Harry, Doris, and Edna. We appreciate the assistance and care of the staff at Front Range these last few years and Benefits Peace Hospice this last month.
Olga is preceded in death by her husband, George, son Dale, daughter Anna Marie, her parents, Juan Flores, Paz Mendoza, her siblings, Frank Florez, Carlos Flores, Juan Bautista Flores, Leonor Martan, Raymond Florez, and Delia Buczek.
She is survived by her sons: Jon (Cindy) of Vancouver, WA, Gary (Heather) of Bothell, WA, her daughter Olga Marie (Guy), of Henderson, NV, and LaVonne Hucklebee Hampton, foster daughter. She has six grandchildren that she is very proud of: Holly West, Corey Erickson, James Dale (JD) Erickson, Cooper West, Gabe Erickson, and Anna Erickson. She was known as Nana and the grandkids have great memories of their winter visits as well as time spent each year in Fort Benton during the summer celebration. Olga and George were very family oriented, always brought their children to golf, fishing, hunting, camping, bowling and sometimes work. They left the legacy of family togetherness to their children and grandchildren. We miss you and love you. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Fort Benton Memorial Ambulance, Chouteau County Food Bank, or The Golden Age Center.
A graveside service is scheduled for Saturday, June 28 at 3:30 pm with a reception to follow at the First Lutheran Church.
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