Aloha, The following is a letter from Bruce T Erickson who died Monday morning, February 8, 2016. Instead of an obituary notice, by this letter, he wanted to let his family and friends know they should be happy for him. Passion, enthusiasm, aloha, and joy were his strengths. And there was a lot of humor behind those bright blue eyes. He told everyone he was the luckiest guy in the whole world. He was a "free spirit" who loved doing things his way. Aloha 'Oe, Bruce Bruce T Erickson, 10/12/34-2/8/16. Photo by Bob Lansdale Dear Family and Friends, It's February 8, 2016, and I'm on the final leg of my bucket list of travels. If you haven't heard, I've kicked the bucket! What a long and wonderful journey it's been starting with my entry into this world in Portland, Oregon on October 12, 1934. My dad, Dr. Harold Erickson, was a preacher man, so with my parents and sisters, Priscilla and Joyce, we moved a lot. Most of my early school years were spend in Rockford, Illinois before I went to California for junior college and then I doubled back to Denver, Colorado where I worked at General Rose Memorial Hospital as a medical photographer. The best and most important thing I did in Denver was to marry a beautiful native Hawaiian, Jackie Mahi, my good friend and the love of my life. Without knowing what Hawai'i was like, I moved to Honolulu, got an art degree from UH, worked as a designer, and then started the photography department at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. After several years at BPBM, I left there in 1975 so we could start our travel odyssey first by backpacking in Japan and Korea. We had planned to be on the go in Asia and the Pacific for 2-3 years. We stayed in youth hostels, red-light district sleeping rooms, Buddhist temples, conscientious objector flop houses, ryokans, in our tent during a mountain snowfall and on the beach during a tropical storm, in an abandoned beach shack where other "roomless" vagabonds hung out, under pine trees while our rickety country train stopped overnight, and finally friends let us stay in their old-style tatami-mat Tokyo apartment. In our Korean orphanage-hostel we were awakened early every morning by 2 American Hare Krishnas chanting their Hare Rama. Water in southern Korea was scarce. After traveling for a week without a bath we were filthy so we checked into a Korean spa. 2 hours was all we could afford to get cleaned but the manager thought we were there for an afternoon of hanky-panky. Traveling on the cheap in Japan and South Korea was the beginning of our lifelong worldwide treks. A few standout travel events include: testing newly made hunting bows and arrows by the Tanzanian Hadzabe tribe, one of the last nomadic hunter-gatherers in the world (jaws dropped when Jackie hit the target); during the autumn solstice, we crouched inside an old Irish tomb and watched a ray of sun creep inwards from the entryway and then light up ancient carvings at the back of the tomb (chicken-skin); in Burma, the 2 of us were privy to an impromptu Burmese harp and classical singing performance in the small home of one of Myanmar's famous village of musicians; we've trespassed onto many "Keep Out" properties and been rewarded with an invitation into an aging Irish manor which was the site of a movie staring Maggie Smith, and we've poked around decrepit slave cabins while sweating laborers cut cane by hand in a poor-man's Louisiana plantation; and in Peru, we were awed as sunrise caressed the amazing ancient city Machu Picchu. There's been more, so much more that we've seen and done on our travels. After more than a half century of traveling we've visited nooks and crannies all over the world and had so many amazing experiences that in recent times we've looked back and wondered, "Who were those crazy, but lucky adventurous people?" I love photography, especially the drama of black and white photos. I like doing it myself and enjoy what others have done in the past and present. Mahalo to my photography friends who were very gracious in allowing me to join them for my final photo exhibition last month. It's been disappointing that Hawai'i hasn't developed a love of photography enough so that people who do artistic photography can make a living doing what they love. I also love history...Hawaiian history, the history of technology, the history of photography, the history of people. Can't learn enough. I am always curious, always wondering. Annual trips to The Daguerreian Society's Symposium are a must. This is where I meet up with my photo-history mates. We go crazy over a unique or beautiful Daguerreotype picture but we also drool over a great thermoplastic or leather case. Our Daguerreian Society Annual is a highly professional publication which, in addition to fascinating articles about all aspects of historical photographs and their makers, often include collections of the finest daguerreotypes in the world. I've written a few articles for the Dag Annual including one about a daguerreotype of our Hawaiian Princess Kalama who was misidentified as a famous black American woman. Jackie thinks this organization has got to be one of the most esoteric. Probably so, but we have such a good time meeting every year. I'll miss not seeing my longtime photo-historian and antique photo collector friends. Music is a necessity, not an option, for me. From the time I wake up till even after I fall asleep I need music. Classical, jazz, blues, R & R, and metal...I love them all. I can't thank enough violinist Iggy and pianist Chris and the Chamber Music Hawai'i Spring Winds Quintet, our classical musician friends, whose music soothed but excited me and brought me back to life after I left the hospital. Now a note about golf. I suck. But I do enjoy the whole affair of spending fun times with good buddies. It's where I get to ride around with Jackie for 4 hours while I whack, putt or whiff the ball lots and lost of times. Best thing to happen recently is the national move to "Play it forward." Doing it from the red tees allow us makule guys to have a decent chance of getting it on in regulation. So now I can beat Jackie...sometimes. And finally, one of the most important things we have done is to donate our "Hilo Bay" oil painting by the very honorable 19th C. Hawaiian hero, Joseph Nawahi, to the people of Hawai'i through the ownership and care of Kamehameha Schools. Our donation of the painting is the most valuable gift we've ever given and received back a thousand-fold. We were so fortunate to have found the painting in the first place, then to live with it in our home, and finally to give it away as an inspiration to the present and future generations of Hawaiians. . Bruce and Jackie Mahi Erickson donate their painting by 19th C. Hawaiian hero, Joseph Nawahi Hawai'i is my home. Ku'u home. Absolutely. I love this place and the people, our family and friends. One of the best things about traveling is coming home where the skies are blue, the trades keep us cool and special Hawai'i fragrances greet us when we land. Hawai'i no ka oi. On October 6, 2015, when the doctors thought I was going to die, I decided my end wasn't going to happen in the hospital. I was going home. Even though bedridden, how fortunate I was to have had more than 4 months to enjoy our cozy home, to feel the warmth of aloha and hugs by family and friends, and to get well enough to celebrate my 81st birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. I even had enough hope so that up to a few days ago I ordered a bunch of stuff online. I should have paid for RUSH shipping. On May 1, 2015, we celebrated our 50th anniversary! I still can't believe it! I'll say it again...Boy, was I the lucky one! I have no regrets. It's been a fabulous adventure and I've had a fantastic life. I love you all, my family, my Ohana, my friends. Aloha pumehana, Aloha "Oe. BRUCE ("Beeper" to Jackie...private joke) Volcano, Hawai'i Photo by Jackie Mahi Erickson)
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
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