Senior Of the Week: Arthur “leif” and Rene Erickson

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Arthur and Rene Erickson have been residents of Emery since July of 1999 but have longstanding ties with community.
Rene was born in Emery in September 30, 1933, the daughter of Clinton C. and Florence Abelin Anderson.
“Leif” as Arthur is commonly and affectionately called, was born in Wattis, Carbon County, on July 12, 1828. His father, Carl E. “Whitey” Erickson was born in Norway, his mother, Cell Christensen, was born in Emery.
Rene had eight grades of schooling in Emery, a few months in Ferron and the ninth and tenth grades in Helper as her parents had moved to Spring Canyon for her father’s employment in the coal mine there.
Leif had grade schooling in Wattis and Spring Canyon, one year at NorthEmery High School and graduated from Carbon High School. He had a six month Vocational Training course at Carbon College in 1947.
Leif worked in the mine company store in Spring Canyon as a butcher. He was given a whole half-day off to get married to Rene on April 9, 1949. They were married in her parent’s home in Spring Canyon. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Manti Temple on November 11, 1955.
Their first child, Arthur Boyd, was born in 1950 in Standardville Hospital. Their second child, Linda Rae was born in 1951, the last child born in the Standardville Hospital before it was closed down for good.
They moved back to Spring Canyon where Leif worked in the coal mine.
Their third child, Penny Lynn was born in 1955, in the older Price Hospital. Their fourth child, David Wayne, was born in 1962, also in Price Hospital.
They moved to Wattis after the Spring Canyon mine blew, as there was no longer work at that mine. Four men were killed in the explosion, on e of them being Rene’s brother Keith Anderson. A very hard and trying time for all concerned.
There was no work available for some time at the Wattis mine but Leif later obtained work for Mid-Continent Resources in Carbondale, Colo. in 1961.
Teresa, their fifth child was born in 1962.
They moved to Grand Junction, Colo. in 1976 where Leif then worked at the coal washing plant. They later moved to Canyon City, Colo. and Leif was then the Superintendent of the coal washing plant.
In 1982, they moved to Newcastle, Colo. In 1990, he retired after 30 years with that same company.
They had always enjoyed fishing and boating and wonderful family gatherings at Rene’s grandfather’s cabin at Fish Lake in Utah and this partly influenced their decision to purchase a home in Richfield in 1991. They enjoyed their “dream house” and made many choice friends there. During these years, they accepted the call and served for six and a half years in the Manti Temple.
They had traveled back and forth to Emery to assist Rene’s 91-year-old mother, still living in Emery in the warm months and with them in Richfield in the cold months. When it became necessary for her to have them closer, they sold their home in Richfield and established a new home in Emery next to her mother’s home.