Written by students Ella T., Lincoln N., and Kayden W., and edited for clarity and length by New Life Academy.
Mrs. Louise Erickson served the New Life community as a member of New Life Church and a teacher at New Life Academy for a large portion of her life. She dedicated over 30 years of her life to raising the future of New Life Academy as a first-grade teacher, and she led numerous mission trips as a member of New Life Church.
In 2018, Mrs. Erickson was diagnosed with breast cancer, which led her to retire from teaching a few years later. After beating cancer, she continued to serve as a lunchroom monitor to stay active in the community, when she discovered that her cancer had returned in May 2022.
During her battle, the New Life community surrounded her with love and prayer. Sadly, Mrs. Erickson passed away on February 22, 2023.
A Teacher Who Made Learning Come Alive
Mrs. Erickson’s passion for teaching first grade is what she is so affectionately known for. She, alongside Ms. Nancy Washburn, a former New Life first grade teacher and Lower School Principal, formed a dynamic partnership that defined elementary education at New Life for over three decades. “We were such a good pair together,” Washburn says. “She always had that big picture idea, and I was focused on how we would get there and complete that idea.”
More than anything, Mrs. Erickson cared deeply for each and every one of her students. She invested much of her time into ensuring that all of her kids learned about the Lord and understood what faith meant. Washburn fondly recalls, “There was always a lot of laughter. She was always doing something crazy that was, you know, entertaining! She wasn’t just a colleague; I considered her a close friend… if not a best friend.”
Memorials to Carry on Her Legacy
The New Life Academy community has come together to honor and remember Mrs. Erickson’s legacy by creating dedications in memory of her impact. Two faculty members played a significant role in creating these memorials: Lower School Principal Mr. Dan Palkki and Makerspace & Library Teacher Mrs. Heather Royer. Mr. Palkki had the idea to create a memorial outside of the Lower School library, while Mrs. Royer had the idea of creating Little Free Libraries to honor Mrs. Erickson’s passion for reading.
“It was just this cool God moment where Mrs. Royer was having this dream and I was having this other dream, and they both involved reading and books,” explains Palkki. The mural is dedicated to showcasing Mrs. Erickson’s different passions. “She had a love for Ukraine, she had a love for books, and she had a love for Jesus,” says Royer. “There will be a passion of hers on each plaque which will represent all the things she loved.”
The Little Free Libraries, located at the intersection before entering the parking lot and at the Early Ed entrance, were also created in her honor. “I was thinking about my [faculty] grant for this year and how we could tie it to such a beautiful woman who meant so much to so many people,” Royer shares. “Mrs. Erickson had such a big impact on a lot of students, helping grow their love of reading. So, we came up with the idea of the Little Free Libraries.” These libraries are available for anyone to take or add books to and serve as a reminder of the encouragement of reading that Mrs. Erickson often shared with her students. On the side of the libraries is the phrase she was known for telling her class: “Kids, don’t read crummy books!”
Parent and friend Jen Willaert reflects, “Everyone was filled with love for her because she showered us all with the love of Christ. May it be a reflection of her dedication, wisdom and kindness to her students and the New Life community. She truly equipped a generation to love and serve the Lord.”
A Time to Remember and Honor Mrs. Erickson
On Sunday, September 21, Lower School Principal Palkki led a private ceremony with Mrs. Erickson’s family to honor her impact at New Life Academy. The dedication of the Lower School library was truly special, giving her family the first look at the memorials created in her honor.
This Friday, September 26, the wider New Life community will have the opportunity to gather during the book fair, which is a part of the Fall Festival Family Night. Friends, families, and former colleagues of Mrs. Erickson are invited to see the memorials, celebrate her legacy, and reflect on the ways she shaped generations of students.
“The memorial really does emphasize the fact that she was a passionate educator who loved children, and beyond that, she loved children to develop a passion for reading, which was one of her greatest joys,” Palkki explains. “I’m grateful to the Erickson family for the opportunity to come together in honoring Louise.”
Though dearly missed, Mrs. Erickson’s life and work continue to shine through the students she taught, the friendships she nurtured, and the love of Christ she so faithfully shared. Her legacy is now beautifully woven into the fabric of New Life Academy.
Save the Date
Join us on Friday, September 26, at the Fall Festival Family Night to honor the life and legacy of Mrs. Erickson. Families and friends will have the opportunity to view the memorials created in her memory and celebrate the lasting impact she made on the New Life school community.
