ERICKSON,
Walter Dwayne
Dec 28, 1937 - April 22, 2013
Dwayne passed away in Calgary, Alberta on April 22, 2013 at the age of 75. He was predeceased by his mother and father, Frank William Erickson (Legion Motors Ltd.) and Lela Lorraine Hester and by his sister Elaine. Born in Chilliwack B.C., he grew up in Mission City, B.C.
While in school, he started his journalism career at the Fraser Valley Record before going to the University of British Columbia, followed by career stops in Penticton, Prince George, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Calgary.
The Edmonton Journal hired him in September of 1957 and the following spring he was assigned to cover his first professional Rodeo. Dwayne was immediately attracted to the cowboy lifestyle; Rodeo became his sport of choice. He has written about Rodeo every year since except from 1974 through 1978 when he served as manager of media relations for Edmonton's Commonwealth games organizing committee, which included writing a book on this event.
Dwayne covered every Canadian Finals Rodeo since 1979, every Calgary Stampede since 1982 and every National Finals Rodeo at Las Vegas since 1985 during his journalistic career of 50 years. Dwayne was honored as a Pioneer of Rodeo by the Calgary Stampede in 1997 and was inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2008, he was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame & Museum. Dwayne was a member of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Hall of Fame, a Calgary Stampede Pioneer of Rodeo, and, in December 2012 became a two-time winner of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Media Award for Excellence in Print Journalism. His passion to report the stories of Rodeo life in North American continued until his passing. The Rodeo participants, officials and families were so important to him.
Dwayne is remembered by his brother Wayne, sister Shirley, daughters Laurie, Dawn, Ronnell, Mardene, son Shane and numerous grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to a get-together in Memory of Dwayne at 11am on Wed, May 15th at Rotary House, Stampede Park, Calgary, Alta.
Donations in Dwayne's
memory may be made to:
Edmonton Rodeo Cowboys Benevolent Foundation, C/O Northlands, P.O. Box 1480, Edmonton, Alberta, T5J 2N5