Obituary of Kaitlyn Ann Erickson

Kaitlyn Ann Erickson, age 21, passed away on Friday, February 28, 2014 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD after a nine month battle with Ewing's Sarcoma Cancer, a very rare form of soft tissue bone cancer. Funeral services will be 1:30 PM, Wednesday, March 5, 2014 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Yankton with Rev. Dave Gunderson and Rev. Steve Weispfennig officiating. Burial will be in the Garden of Memories, Yankton. Visitations will begin at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Chapel, Yankton, with a Scripture service at 7:00 PM. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. Kaitlyn was born February 5, 1993 in Granite Falls, MN to Tony and Lisa (Jurrens) Erickson. She was baptized on February 28, 1993 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Marshall, MN and confirmed on April 22, 2001 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Yankton, SD. Kaitlyn graduated from Yankton High School with honors on May 20, 2011. She enjoyed working at Hillcrest Country Club for many summers. Kaitlyn was a member of the National Honor Society, YHS Gazelles Golf Team, Acapella Choir, All State Choir, Yankton High School Marching Band and Pep Band, Middle School Jazz Band, Yankton Children's Choir which fueled her musical passion, and, participated in the YHS spring musicals with her fondest memory of playing one of the lead vocal roles in the Little Shop of Horrors. Kaitlyn traveled with the European Concert Tour in the summer of 2011 which sparked her desire to travel worldwide; Paris being her most favorite. While attending Doane College, Kaitlyn took great pride in being involved in a variety of activities and organizations; she was a member of the Doane Tiger's Women's Varsity Golf Team, discovered a love for supporting Relay for Life and Doane Collegiate Choir which fueled her passion for her love of music and honed in on her extreme vocal talents. Despite her diagnosis with cancer, she did her best to remain an active part of the Doane Golf Team with an acting role as assistant coach for their final GPAC Tournament in October 2013 and continued to stay in touch with her Doane College friends. Kaitlyn's cancer brought so many challenges. The diagnosis was devastating. The pain was horrendous and the fatigue very debilitating. It took her away from everything she worked so hard for and loved. Despite all this Kaitlyn did not want to dwell on it or feel sorry for herself; she just wanted to do what needed to be done and move forward, meeting each hurdle with strength and a quiet calm confidence. She fought each day and always kept hope alive with a smile on her face. She was always concerned about others. Kaitlyn worried about her sister, Kourtney, who she loved very much and was extremely proud of her artistic talents. She wanted Kourtney to do well and not get off course with her dreams and desires to become an artist. She wanted her mom and dad to know how much she loved them and that she was proud of them. All in all, she is at peace; she wanted to live, but was not afraid to die. Kaitlyn is survived by her mother and father; and her little sister, Kourtney; grandparents, Dee Erickson, Lorraine Kressig and husband, Don. Kaitlyn Ann Erickson was preceded in death by her great grandpa & grandma Sedlacek; grandpa Don Erickson, great uncle Jim Lancaster; and her cousin Jeffrey Becker. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial funds to be directed to Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home and Crematory, 601 W. 21st Street, Yankton, SD 57078, where academic, musical and golf scholarships will be established, along with a donation to cancer research and Relay for Life.