Rex Aubra Erickson

Rex Aubra Erickson was born on August 11, 1945, to Albert and Euella Erickson on their farm in southeast Rawlins County near Achilles, Kansas. After a nearly six-month illness, he passed away peacefully at the age of 79 on January 19, 2025, in De Soto, Kansas, surrounded by his children.

Growing up, Rex attended the one-room schoolhouse in Achilles for eight years, occasionally riding his horse, Prince, to school. In 1959, he began attending Atwood High School, where he competed in football and wrestling. In 1963, Rex graduated from Atwood High School.

He then attended Fort Hays State for two years. In the summer of 1965, he married Kathlyn McDougal, and together, they had three children: Randy, Regan, and Holly.

Rex worked the family farm and ranch until 1985, raising wheat, corn, milo, cattle, hogs, and horses.

In late 1985, Rex went to visit his brother in Australia for four months. For the next 35 years, people would ask his children and relatives if he was still in Australia.

In 1986, Rex relocated to San Diego, California, to help raise his daughter, Holly. There, he worked as a water deliveryman for Sparklett’s Water, sold real estate, and eventually became a cross-country truck driver, working for CRST and J.B. Hunt. In 2000, he was honored with an award from J.B. Hunt for achieving 1,000,000 accident-free miles.

In 1999, Rex returned to Atwood to care for his mother, Euella. After her passing in 2000, he stayed in Atwood and continued trucking for a few more years. He then returned to farming, going out to the family farm every day to take care of the cattle, who he called his “girls.”

When asked what he thought was his greatest accomplishment, he indicated he thought it was his children and grandchildren. He specifically indicated that he was especially proud that none of his kids or grandchildren had been to prison or had tattoos. (On the latter, he may not have known about Randy’s kids, but they’re from California.) When told he was a good parent, he indicated, “I didn’t do much, I was just there for them.” And that he was. In fact, even though there are no days off for farmer/ranchers, as they were growing up, he went to not only every wrestling match, football game, cross-country meet, baseball game, or softball game that his kids participated in, but every pre-high school practice as well. While growing up, his children just assumed that was what every parent did. As they grew up and had kids, they realized what a sacrifice he made for his children.

Rex taught his children and grandchildren honesty, resilience, the value of hard work at an early age, the ability to look past the difficulties that life throws you, and to start solving problems without complaining about them or blaming others.

Although he didn’t think so, and would deny it if accused of it, Rex was hysterically funny. Among the pearls of PG advice that he offered to his kids over the years that can be shared in public included the following:

• Better not name your horse. It makes it harder to eat if you’re stuck in a snowstorm.

• Never underestimate the lonely look of a cowgirl at midnight.

• (While in the hospital): Do you see those two blue monkeys wrestling? I know they’re not real, I just wanted to know if you see them too.

Rex was a dancer. When he walked into any one of the honkytonks and country/western bars in San Diego, they not only would greet him by name as he arrived, but his dance card would be busy all night. If they did get a chance to talk to him, he would introduce his boys to whoever he had been dancing with by saying, “These are my older brothers.”

In his later years, Rex kept more to himself and spent most days out on the farm with his cattle. Although he has been in Atwood for the past 25 years, if you weren’t at the sale barn, a farm sale, or at the grocery store early in the morning, you may not have run into him. In fact, after the first few months of COVID-19, he was asked how he was handling the required “social distancing.” He responded by indicating that he had been social distancing for years and was glad everyone was finally catching up and leaving him the hell alone.

In early August, Rex was hospitalized with a still-unknown viral infection. After two months of hospitalization, he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and went into hospice. Although at times early on he was in extreme pain, he was always gracious and polite to the healthcare staff, always thanking them for their help every time. With pain management in hospice, he spent the last months of his life comfortable and without pain. On January 19, 2025, he passed away peacefully. During his illness, at least one of his kids were with him daily, and all of his children were with him during his last days. Also, all of his grandchildren were able to visit him, pay their respects, and say their farewells,

Rex is preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Euella Erickson, and his brother, Aard Erickson. He is survived by his sister, Lois Pedigo (Larry); sister-in-law, Wendy Erickson; former wife, Kathlyn Brooksher; his children Randy Erickson (Claudia), Regan Erickson, and Holly Huebner (Seth); grandchildren Lauren Jundt (Kai), Carli Erickson, Katy Peterson, Bryce Erickson, Leif Erickson, Ariana Erickson, and Jackson Huebner; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins, and his girls (13 head of cows).

He will be missed. Good bye, Dad. We love you.

A graveside ceremony will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at the Achilles Cemetery. A celebration of life that Rex would have enjoyed attending will be held at the Shirley Opera House later that evening at 6:00 p.m. Refreshments and supper will be served. The public is invited to one or both to pay their respects. In lieu of flowers, Rex requested donations be made in his name to the Buffalo Strong Fund for the restoration of the Rawlins County High School. Contributions can be made at https://www.gnwkcf.org/donate/usd-105-buffalo-strong or sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit baalmannmortuary.com