Gladys Ruth Traastad Erickson

Gladys Ruth Erickson (Traastad)October 20, 2005 Gladys Ruth Erickson (Traastad), age 98 of Westby, passed away Thursday, Oct. 20, 1005 at Norseland Nursing Home in Westby. She was born on May 3, 1907 in Viroqua to Ole and Gena (Hanson) Traastad. She attended school at Liberty Pole, Viroqua High School and the U.W. Madison School of Home Economics. In 1929 she married Curtis S. Erickson of Westby and moved to the Erickson farm in Old Town. Gladys was an active member of Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Westby where she taught Sunday School for many years and held many offices in the Ladies Aid and Ruth Circle. She was a real pioneer in the Vernon County 4-H. She was a member of the first club organized while she was in high school. She was the first to represent the county at the state fair with a demonstration, and the first from the county to attend the National Dairy Show as the state health winner. After her marriage she helped the county agent promote 4-H, lobbied the county board to get the first 4-H extension agent, and organized the Coon Prairie 4-H Club which was named the best club in the county for several years and in 1947 honored as the best club in the state. The Wisconsin State Extension awarded her