Arlo W. Ericson, St. Joseph, Missouri, peacefully passed September 27, 2022 at the age of 94.
He was born January 26, 1928 in Union County, South Dakota to Milton E. Ericson and Margaret (Hamilton) Ericson.
Arlo graduated from Akron High School in Akron, Iowa. On January 26, 1946 he joined the United States Navy. After boot camp in San Diego, California, he was stationed at the Orote Naval Air Station on Guam. After his assignment on Guam, he joined the Naval Reserves.
Once back home he married Iola I. Menage on May 29, 1949 in Rock Rapids, Iowa. He then enrolled at the University of South Dakota under the GI Bill and graduated three and a half years later with a BA in Accounting. While at USD, he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpa fraternity.
Because of his membership in the Naval Reserves, Arlo was recalled to active duty during the Korean War conflict. He served for 16 months aboard the USS Whiteside AKA90, an attack cargo ship.
Arlo’s professional career took him from Sioux City, Iowa, to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Des Moines, Iowa, and then to St. Joseph, Missouri in August of 1964. He was Vice-President/General Manager of Casey Meyers Ford for fourteen years. He then purchased the local Toyota-AMC-Jeep dealership and was involved with it until November 1990. In April of 1979, he formed an automobile leasing and rental company. In addition, he bought and sold used cars.
In November 1990, Arlo purchased a business that contracted with the U.S. Postal Service to haul mail between St. Joseph and Kansas City. He and his son, Doug, operated this business for twenty-six years.
In 2014, Arlo and two partners formed a building salvage company that still exists today. Up until August of this year, he was actively involved in all bookkeeping aspects of the business.
Arlo was active in Cub Scouts and coaching boys basketball and youth softball. In St. Joseph, he was a patron member of the Boy Scouts of America. He was a charter member of The Association of Accountants for St. Joseph, and a charter member of The Gold Coats Club at Missouri Western State College.
He was a Fifty-Year Member of Charity Zeredatha Lodge #189 AM &FM and a Fifty-Year Member of Moila Shrine Temple. He was also a member of The American Legion since 1954.
Arlo was preceded in death by his parents; his infant son, Duane; and the love of his life, Iola.
He is survived by his son, Douglas, St. Joseph; daughter, Jane Edmunds(Eddy), Richardson, TX; daughter, Connie Whan (Bob), Perrin, TX; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; his brother, Roger (Bess), Phoenix, AZ; nieces and nephews.
The family will gather with friends 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, October 5, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. Farewell Services and Public Livestream 10:00 A.M. Thursday, October 6, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. Inurnment at Union Creek Lutheran Church, Akron, South Dakota at a future date.
