CASPER - Funeral services for Kent Erickson, 52, will be held Saturday, July 21, 2007 at 11 a.m. at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church with Rev. Marvin Skogen presiding. Burial services will follow immediately at Highland Cemetery. Visitation will be held at Bustard's Funeral Home with family present on Friday from 7 to 8 p.m.

He died suddenly on July 14, 2007, in Casper.

He was born Feb. 20, 1955 in Casper to Artie and Swede Erickson.

He attended Natrona County High School, Casper College and the University of Wyoming.

He was married on Casper Mountain on Aug. 20, 1977 to the love of his life, Dr. Susan Schuetz Erickson, and became a valued member of her family.

He held several jobs through the years while he pursued his true calling as a professional fisherman. He was a manager at Cummins Diesel in Casper and also worked at the Wyoming Youth Treatment Center as a youth counselor. He loved working with children and they came to trust and love him. He and his wife moved to Slat Lake City, Utah in 1985 where he owned and operated a lawn care business and they returned to Casper in late 2006.

He derived great energy and felt a profound spiritual connection with all things in nature. Growing up in Wyoming, he developed a passionate interest in hiking, rock hunting, water skiing, fishing, back packing and hunting. In his youth he took many backpacking and fishing trips into the Wind River Mountains.

He started fishing with his father at age 5 and quickly developed a knack for catching the "big one." From 1999-2005, he fished over 50 tournaments with his fishing partners in the Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming walleye tournament circuits, always placing in the top-5 teams.

He held the world record for the Ohrid Brown trout he caught in Alcova Lake and held several Utah state records for various fish species.

He was a loyal and loving husband who was very dedicated to his wife and family. When a family member needed assistance, he was there.

Survivors include his wife, his mother, his brother, Brent and sister- in-law; his mother-in-law Sharon Schuetz, two sisters-in-law, a brother-in-law and many other family members. He will be greatly missed by all of his family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in his name to Community Fisheries Program,

Attention: Drew Cushing, Division of Wildlife Resources, P.O. Box 146301, Slat Lake City, Utah, 84114.