Walter A. Erickson was born on March 1, 1920, in La Crosse, Wis., to Walter and Loretta (McWillie) Erickson. He had two sisters, Ann Erickson Phalon and Ruth Erickson Young, and one brother, John, who was later a golf pro at North Shore Country Club in Menasha, Wisconsin.
In 1938, Walter A. Erickson graduated from Central High School in La Crosse. Erickson worked as a sports writer for the La Crosse Tribune from 1938 through 1942. He also was a freelance baseball reporter for regional newspapers and The Sporting News. He served in the U. S. Army from Nov. 14, 1942 until Nov. 20, 1945, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin Business College in 1948. He married Lorraine Smikla on Aug. 25, 1956, at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Erikson worked as a stockbroker for thirty-seven years before retiring in 1985.
Erickson was a sports enthusiast who managed La Crosse city basketball and softball teams, including Sheldon’s Cigar Store Team (basketball) and Ed’s Tavern (softball). He supported local high school teams, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, the University of Wisconsin-Badgers, and the Green Bay Packers.
Erickson died in La Crosse on April 5, 1993. His wife, Lorraine, died in La Crosse on January 18, 2006.
