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‘Soldier of Christ – Well Done!’ |
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Major Shirley M. Cukr (R) was recently promoted to Glory from Salem Memorial Hospital after a lengthy illness.
Shirley Cukr was born in Mt. Clemens, Mich. From this corps she entered the Training College in Chicago, being commissioned in 1944 with the Liberty Session. This was one of the wartime groups that included 53 probationary lieutenants. She served four years in corps appointments before being appointed cashier at the Detroit Evangeline Residence.
In 1949 she transferred to the West for service in Alaska, where she served as corps officer in Wrangell and Juneau. After a temporary appointment at territorial headquarters, she was given responsibility for the finance and trade departments of the Philippine Division. During her nearly five years in the Philippines, Cukr witnessed the change in oversight of the work in that nation from the Western Territory to an independent command under international headquarters.
Following a year of special furlough, she was again appointed to assist with the Western Finance Department. Appointments to Youth and Education Departments followed, after which she worked with the newly organized Services to the Aging program in the Northern California/Nevada Divisions.
In 1974 she returned to THQ, to the Education Department, and later to the Extension Studies Bureau. For 15 years she kept in touch with men and women in federal, state and county facilities across the territory, leading many to a first-time knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Cukr retired in 1989 because of ill health and settled in Salem, Ore. Until her health prevented her attendance, she was a soldier of the Salem Corps.
She is survived by three brothers and one sister, all of whom are living in Michigan.
A memorial service was held at the Salem Citadel Corps, led by Corps Officer Lieutenant Darren Norton.
Lt. Colonel John Y. Erickson was promoted to Glory recently from the El-Jen Convalescent Care Center in Las Vegas, Nev. He was 96 years old.
John was born in 1902 in Gavie, Sweden. At the age of nine he immigrated to Hartford, Conn., with his family. He entered Training School from the Hartford #2 corps and was commissioned in 1923 with the Record Breakers Session.
During this time he met and fell in love with a young cadet named Edith Peterson, but it was several years later that they married while both were stationed in New York. After their marriage in 1929 they served at six corps in the Eastern Territory.
In 1941 they were transferred to the Western Territory as leaders for the Scandinavian Division, and in 1950 they helped the corps make the transition to regular divisions.
They were leaders in the Intermountain Division, and then in 1957 led the Intermountain Division. At the time of retirement, Lt. Colonel Erickson was appointed to territorial headquarters in San Francisco and served as Assistant to the Chief Secretary until retirement in 1967.
After Edith was promoted to Glory in 1991, he moved to Las Vegas to live with his son George and family.
A memorial service was held at the Noble Chapel, Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, in Colma, Calif. Commissioner Kenneth Hood (R) led the service, assisted by Lt. Phil Smith, South San Francisco Citadel corps officer. Interment will follow.
Erickson is survived by his son and six grandchildren. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to Mr. George Erickson at 7861 Ben Hogan Dr., Las Vegas NV 89129.
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