Conal Jay Erickson

Conal “Jay” Erickson slipped away quietly, to ride horses with his Dad on Saturday morning, February 8, 2025, at his home in Ucon, Idaho.

Jay or “Crazy J”, as he was known by his trucking comrades, was born May 31, 1953, in Rigby, Idaho, the fifth child of Robert William Erickson and Dora Jean Armstrong, arriving in the world 5 minutes after his twin brother, Ray. His younger days were spent at the family home in Lewisville, Idaho where he attended Lewisville Elementary. The family moved to Idaho Falls in 1961 and he attended Hawthorne Elementary, O.E. Bell Junior High, and graduated from Idaho Falls High School in 1971. After high school, he attended Devy University where he studied motion picture production.

In his youth, he participated in the scouting program and worked with his cousins on Neal Erickson’s various farms in the Lewisville area. Here he learned to drive a variety of farm vehicles, including trucks. This would lead to his life’s profession of long-haul truck driving. He had the opportunity of working for Nicholas Moving and Storage and Doug Andrus Distributing companies. He was proud to be the recipient of more than one plaque for having driven 1 million miles accident free.

He married Diane Jorgensen on January 10, 1975. To this union, they had six children. They later divorced.

He was a hard worker with a love to fish, hunt, camp, read, work and ride horses, and having a lively conversation with everyone he met. His hobbies included hauling wood and being with his grandchildren, especially teasing them or feeding them ice cream.

He loved the Ucon, Idaho area and lived there most of his adult life. He enjoyed helping others and being a good friend to all.

He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, enjoying the families that he ministered to and being on the security team at the Ucon Stake Center building.

He is survived by his children, Vicki, Carl, Benjamin (Amyah), Dennis (Kathy), and Allan (Frankie), grandchildren, Kortney, Kodie (Chelsie), Mary, Alaina, Lily, Joshua, Russell, Krystal (Rhett), Allan, Darian, Sarah, Levi, Emily, Hannah, Caleb, Taylor, Keygen, Brodie, and Sammy, two great-grandchildren and several others that he considered his grandchildren. He is also survived by siblings Roberta (Byron), Alice (Michael), William, Ray, Terri (Lonnie), Peggy (John), Helen (Thomas), and Sarah (Lou), and their families.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Jean Erickson and his daughter, Dianna.