Ogden Eriksen, 97, passed away peacefully, as he lived his life, with his wife at his side, Friday morning, Oct. 28, 2011, at Community Pride Senior Living in St. John. He was born Oct 1, 1914 at the family home to Nels and Bessie (Rhoads) Eriksen. His grade school years were spent at the Cotton Wood School near his home. He graduated from Ewan High School, with the class of 1933. He became a certified diesel engineer from the Hemphill Diesel Engineering School in Seattle, WA in 1936. Following that training he returned home to farm with his father. He married his high school sweetheart, Doris Glorfield and they lived for 72 years in their home on the farm west of St. John, before moving to the Community Pride in March of 2011. Ogden was a loving and generous husband, father, and grandfather. He was a steward of the land. There were never any "good old days" in his mind. His father sold the horses to buy their first tractor in the early 1930's, an Allis Chalmers, Model M. & they readily adopted technology to raise their crops with an eye to the conservation of their land. He won a district and state conservation stewardship award in 1971. Ogden was a Golden Sheave Grange member, and served as master of Eaton Grange #961. He was an active member of the Whitman County Pomona Grange, serving several years as its Treasurer. He served a term as District Chairman for the Boy Scouts of America. Ogden enjoyed fishing, boating, and traveling in their motor home. As time marched on and his responsibilities on the farm lessened, and these activities picked up. They bought a place on the lower Spokane River & he spent many a day there with his best friend, Jack R. Glorfield, and family. They traveled several times with Alva and Don Jordon in their motor homes. Death Valley was a favorite haunt. Ogden was preceded in death by his parents, his two sisters, Viola Mann and Bette (Watters) Colson. Ogden is survived by his wife Doris, his son Tracy of St. John, WA; 3 grandchildren, Devin of Spokane, Kye (Christy) on the farm, Kimberly (Seth) of Weston, CT., and five great grandchildren, Aiden and Olivia Eriksen, and Raif, Dain, & Rylan Miller, and many extended family members. The family suggests memorials to General Federated Women's Club of St. John Scholarship Fund in the St. John Endicott School Foundation. St. John United Methodist Church. St. John Historical Society. St. John Community Pride Senior Living facility. Viewing will be held Monday Nov. 7, 2011 from 9:00 to 5:00 at Bruning Funeral Home, and Tuesday, Nov. 8th from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. at the St. John United Methodist Church prior to the graveside service. The graveside service will be held Tuesday Nov. 8th 10:00 a.m. at the St. John Cemetery, followed by the memorial service at the St. John United Methodist Church at 11:00 a.m. Bruning Funeral Home is caring for the family.