Joseph S. Erickson

Joseph S. “Joe” Erickson is a U.S. Army veteran, longtime member of American Legion Post 59 and a familiar face to generations of members who have spent time at the Post.

A bricklayer by trade, Joe brought the same willingness to work and lend a hand to his years with the American Legion. He served as Commander of Post 59 from 1992 through 1996, providing four consecutive years of leadership during a period that helped bridge the Post's earlier history with the organization familiar to members today.

Joe's involvement with Post 59 continued long after his years as Commander. Like many of the members who became the backbone of the Post, his contribution was not limited to holding office. He was one of the volunteers who simply kept showing up and doing the work.

That was especially evident in the Legion kitchen. When longtime head cook John Christopherson and his crew officially retired in December 2016, Joe was recognized as having served with the kitchen crew for 37 years. He worked alongside John Christopherson, Truman Harried, Archie Christensen, DuWayne Teigen, Duane Broughton, Don Helmke, Dick Amundson and other longtime Post members. Their decades together in the kitchen became part of the character and tradition of Post 59.

Joe also participated in an important moment in the Post's more recent history. A photograph from a January 2008 planning meeting shows him among the members gathered when the decision was made to purchase the property at 803 N. Page Street, the home that would become the present American Legion Post 59.

Another photograph from August 2012 captures the lighter side of Legion life. During the mock “launch of USS WB #17,” Joe was designated the vessel's First Mate, joining Captain Dean Horner, Senior Advisor Dick Boyd and Assistant Senior Advisor Don Helmke. Photographs like these preserve something that official meeting minutes cannot — the friendship and humor shared by the people who made the Post their second home.

Through his Army service, four years as Post Commander and decades of volunteering, Joe Erickson has been part of Post 59's story for many years. His 37 years with the kitchen crew alone represent an extraordinary commitment of time to the organization and the community it serves.