Fred Ericsen

Frederick Dag Ericsen was born in Seattle on August 26th, 1941 and was the oldest living son of John Harold Ericsen and Frieda Mitstifer Ericsen.

Fred was an inventor, a bridge tender, a marine captain, a commercial fisherman, a boat and truck restorer, a college class president, an engineer, a lover of maps and books and a Calvin and Hobbes fan. He had a copy of every Calvin and Hobbes book ever published...maybe even two. He was a history buff (especially of explorers), a brother, an uncle, a cousin, and a dear friend to many. He was the guy who started conversations with strangers and made them feel like the most important person in the world.

After serving in the Army at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, he attended Olympic Community College and the U of W, earning both an Associate of Science degree and a Bachelor of Arts in Ecology. He had a lifelong love of learning and an insatiable curiosity about the world around him. Even after completing his formal college education, he continued to read, study, and expand his knowledge throughout his life. His interests were wide-ranging, and he could engage in thoughtful conversation on an extraordinary variety of subjects. His intellectual curiosity was a defining part of who he was, and his knowledge, insight, and willingness to keep learning made conversations with him both interesting and memorable.

He restored a beautiful boat: a double ender gillnetter, FV Bothnia, and fished the Salish Sea for many seasons. On land Fred wasn’t far from the water, working for 28 years as a bridge tender for the City of Seattle mostly at the Ballard Bridge, opening the ship canal for marine traffic.

Fred held a deep love for his family and his legacy will live on even after his death. He is survived by his brothers, Kris and Bernt, his sister, Emily, his nieces, Rachel and Sarah, his great nephews, Logan and Evan, his cherished Pennsylvania cousins, Barbara, Lisa, Lydia and their families, his close friends Brenda, Bill and Goey and the people he got to see everyday at Denny’s Edmonds.

• A Graveside Service will be held Monday, October 19, 2026 at 11:00 am 
• at Crown Hill Cemetery  8712 12th Ave NW in Seattle