Rev. Erik Douglas Heskin

Erik was born in Farmington, N.M. to Pastor Edward Douglas and Diane (Gerrish) Heskin on May 9, 1972, while they served at the Navajo Lutheran Mission in Many Farms, Ariz. He grew up in Chamberlain, Parkston, and finally Mobridge, S.D., where he met Jiffy in 1989. After graduating Mobridge High School in 1990, he attended Augustana in Sioux Falls, S.D., on a football scholarship. Injury left him unable to continue to play football and he transferred to the University of North Dakota, majoring in theology, religion and philosophy. On May 30, 1992, he married Jif and looked forward to celebrating their 27th anniversary this month. 

During the summers at college, Erik worked at Klein Ranch, a Lutherans outdoor camp in South Dakota, where he felt his call to serve the Lord at the Old Stone Church. He received his Master of Divinity at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, where he and Jif were blessed with their first son Leif. After internship at Grace Lutheran in West Point, Neb., he accepted his first Call at Bethesda and Salem Lutheran Churches in Strandquist, Minn., where they were blessed with a second son, Thor. The Call to serve continued for the next 20 years, serving Trinity Lutheran Church and Crossroads Rural Ministry in Edinburgh, N.D. He continued serving rural churches as senior pastor at Portland Lutheran Parish (Aurdal, Perry, Bang, Bruflat, Aal, and Norway) in Portland, N.D. In January of 2011, they moved to Escanaba to serve at Bethany Lutheran Church. Erik had a strong faith in our risen Lord and his calling to go out and make disciples. He loved all of the places he was chosen to serve as pastor.

Erik found great joy in life through comedy, music, learning new things, watching football, playing games, and being with his dogs. Most of all, he loved his boys and Jiffy.

Erik is survived by his wife, Jiffy Heskin; sons, Leif (Jennah), Thor (Lacey); parents, Douglas and Diane Heskin; sister, Kari (Jesse) Mygland; brother, Nathan (Rebecca) Heskin; mother and father in-law, Carl and Shirley Peters; sisters-in-law Jeana (Jim) Salzsiedler, and Jerri Peters; Erik will be also be remembered by his nieces and nephews, Kjersti, Finn, Bjorn, Lily, Henry, Jack, Jake, Jordyn, Julia and Christopher.  

He is preceded in death by his aunt, Pastor Adrianne Heskin; and his grandparents, Lawrence, Alice, Inga and Edward.

Visitation will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 8, at the Anderson Funeral Home in Escanaba. Funeral services celebrating the life of Rev. Erik Heskin will follow at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Bethany Lutheran Church in Escanaba with Bishop Rev. Katherine Finegan and Rev. David Van Kley officiating. A luncheon will be served at the conclusion of the services in the church fellowship hall. Burial will take place in Saint Johns Cemetery in Hatton, N.D. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to please be directed to the Donate Life Wisconsin, PO Box 1095, Madison, WI 53701-1095. The Anderson Funeral Homes are assisting the Heskin family and online condolences can be sent at www.andersonfuneralhomes.net.