An American Family:
The Values Of The Prairie
By Michael Roby
I never met Clifford Erickson. In fact, I never knew his name
until I went to Carpio, ND to pay respects to his family.
Clifford B. Erickson died at his home in Carpio on June 26,
2006. My wife works for his daughter, Cindy, and they are
close friends as well. They have even been mistaken for
sisters.
While I never met Clifford, I did get to know him quite well
while I was in Carpio. In fact, I’d say Clifford and I became
good friends. A man leaves a trail of breadcrumbs across the
prairie of life; visible clues about how he lived and how he
died. We call that trail “Family,” and in getting to know his
family better over the two days prior to his funeral, Clifford
I and developed quite a relationship.
I never set foot in North Dakota until 1997, when I started to
travel the “Roughrider State” for my work. I had not been to
North Dakota for almost two years, however, and I had missed
the places and the people. I have ties to North Dakota, as my
mother grew up out west in Marmarth. So when I go out to the
prairies, a piece of me feels like I am going home. When my
wife and I went to Carpio, we certainly felt like we were home.
We felt like we were with family.
Clifford was 96 when he died, leaving his beloved Irma behind.
They were married for 68 years. The two of them raised six
wonderful children. The family grew with many sons and
daughters-in-law, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When
we arrived in Carpio, we found this family in mourning and
grief as you would expect, but also with a profound joy for a
life well lived. The stories and reminisces flowed, too
numerous to be mentioned here. These stories told of a good
life off the land, not easy, but filled with hard work and
endless challenges, but also a life of unspeakable joy and love
for one another. The result of the lives of Clifford and Irma
is a family that has accomplished much… lives that have
meaning. This family isn’t perfect. No family is, but the
stories of Clifford and Irma Erickson and their family is a
story about what is right about North Dakota…about America.
Two of these stories tell a lot about why this family
flourished. One involves the beginning of the day, and the
other involves the end of the day.
The Erickson Farm is located at Donnybrook, just north of the
highway. The farmhouse overlooks the Des Lacs Valley, and the
view is majestic. Every morning, Irma would look out the
window and say, “This is a day that the Lord has made. Let us
rejoice and be glad in it.” And having done so, she would
begin her day of cheerful hard work as a farmer’s wife and
mother to her children.
Clifford built a beautiful operation. He was respectful of the
land, and worked hard and long to support his family, and he
loved his Black Angus cattle! The farming life is hard, but
Clifford and Irma managed to raise those six children
regardless of challenges that came their way. A comment that
came up repeatedly from his family about Clifford was that he
always made them feel special; he made each of them feel like
they were his favorite. Clifford was a man of few words, but
when he spoke, people listened. At the end of every day, he
always ended it by speaking words that were dear to him. If
the day was happy and productive, or one filled with hardship
and problems, Clifford would always close it in thankfulness by
reciting the Lord’s Prayer.
This foundation of faith and hard work was what brought the
family and friends back to Carpio to lay Clifford Erickson to
rest. We learn from those that came before us. My hope for
Clifford’s family, and especially his grandchildren, is that
they never forget that Clifford and Irma built their family on
a foundation of love and faith, and they demonstrated that love
and faith in all of their family traditions. Family traditions
are the handiworks that knit the individual members and the
succeeding generations into family, and result from the
dedication of a father and mother to certain principles and
ideals. By holding on to those traditions, and consciously
creating traditions of their own, the grandchildren will insure
the legacy of Clifford Erickson lives on.
Clifford, you did your work well; you were a good and faithful
servant. Thank you for showing us how to be a husband and
father. I have been blessed to get to know you.
About the Author:
Michael Roby is a business strategist for
sales organizations, as well as a noted professional
motivational speaker. Mike was named “2005 Member of the
Year” by National Speakers Association in Minnesota. His website is www.michaelroby.com, and he can be reached at mike@michaelroby.
