Arnold 'Arnie' Erickson

ARNOLD L. "ARNIE" ERICKSON

Cedar Rapids

Arnold L. "Arnie" Erickson, 90, of Cedar Rapids, died Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016, at the Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha. Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel at 4200 First Ave NE.

Survivors include his wife, Connie; a daughter, Koreen Brennan of Florida; a son, Craig of Cedar Rapids; and two grandchildren, Alycia and Stephen.

Arnie was born Aug. 27, 1926, in Grassflat, Pa., the son of Thurston and Mary Olson Erickson. He started playing guitar at a young age and was playing with jazz trios in many top clubs all over the country by age 16. He continued to do so throughout the big band era. He met and married Connie E. Nerhus on Sept. 5, 1953, while attending Augustana College. He then graduated from Lycoming College with honors, and he and Connie started teaching in Rock Falls, Ill. He later got his M.A. at the University of Iowa and taught math and special education at schools in Cedar Rapids, such as Roosevelt and Kennedy. While at Kennedy, he created an award-winning job training program for his special education students called Work Study Lab.

He continued to pursue his love of music through teaching guitar at stores like Hiltbrunner's and forming local jazz trios that played in many locations around town. In 1973, he jumped in with both feet to pursue his lifelong passion full time, and opened The Music Loft, which he ran for over 30 years.

He loved traveling, yardwork, teaching, composing and arranging music, and attending concerts and plays. He belonged to First Lutheran Church and participated in many of its activities.

A memorial fund has been established for the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy and the Water Project. Please leave a message or tribute to the Erickson family on the website, www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.