Maria Erickson

Maria de los Angeles Longo Erickson, affectionally known as Nanny, age 86, of Fort Walton Beach, FL. Passed away on February 26, 2021 at 9:30am. She died peacefully in her home surrounded by her sons and her daughters-in-law which fulfilled her wish not to pass away alone in a nursing home.

She was born to Alejandra Martinez and Jose Longo on January 10, 1935 in Madrid Spain. She was tragically preceded in death by her daughter Cynthia Aurora Erickson (30), her grandson Christopher Lee Erickson (35), her sister Josefin Longo (2), and her brother Paco Longo (64). She is loved and survived by her sister Aurora Longo and her sons Louis J Erickson Jr & David J Erickson. She is also survived by her daughters-in-law whom she loved and adored, Tabitha R Erickson and Carrie A Breeding. Her memory and family will continue through her great grandchildren Cyerus Xavier McCulloch (19), Aniah Rae Gonzales (16), Drake Ezra Erickson (10), Annaliese Aurora Erickson (7), and Damon Eziaih Erickson (3).

On Nanny’s 40th birthday Nanny discovered bingo and later in her fifties her son Louis would corrupt her and introduce her to gambling. Nanny became an avid gambler playing Bingo, poker, blackjack, and slot machines. She was always frugal with her money and never bet anything that would hurt her income, but she loved to play. Nanny loved watching action movies and was a huge fan of James Bond. However, Nanny will be remembered most as a tough as nails lady who overcame adversity few of this age and this country could easily imagine.

Her youth was spent fighting for survival during the Spanish Civil War, which claimed the life of her father, later experienced the hardships of WW2. WW2 indirectly claimed the life of her little sister Josefin through malnutrition and disease. Nanny worked hard her whole life in jobs too numerous to count. She eventually married and had three children, but her husband was a wolf in sheep’s clothing and a truly evil man. However, the positive fruit of that relationship was the gift of her three children who were the driving force in her life. When faced with raising three children alone Nanny could have chosen to go back to the more socialist Spain to have help from her mother, sister, and brother, but she chose the harder path instead. She chose to come to the United States because as she said, “There would be more opportunities for my children”. This is a decision that her son Louis will be eternally grateful for having started multiple successful technology businesses.

The death of her daughter Cindy in 1997 was exceptionally difficult and it took many years to dig deep and come back to life again after that loss. She emerged from the depression with the love of her daughter-in-law Tabitha and Tabitha’s mother Fay Owen. Louis, Tabi, Fay, and Nanny started going on vacations together every two years. Two trips to Spain, a trip to Las Vegas, and half a dozen cruises these four had a wonderful time gallivanting around the world. The last twenty years of Nanny’s life were filled with love, comfort, security, and fun.

Nanny had a lot to be proud of: she taught herself to speak, read, and write Spanish and English with no formal education, started her own business as a seamstress, and she bought and owned her own home. Nanny went from less than nothing to a comfortable life and paved the way to make the lives of her entire family much better than she could have ever hoped for herself.

Services will be conducted Sunday March 7, 2021 at McLaughlin Funeral Home 17 Chestnut Ave SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL. 32548. Visitation will begin at 1:00pm with a service at 2:00pm followed directly by interment at Beal Memorial Cemetery where Nanny will be laid to rest next to her daughter Cynthia and her grandson Christopher.  

If you would like to attend Maria’s service remotely please use the link below and invite yourself to the service. Once you enter your name and e-mail address you will get an e-mail. When you want to join on Sunday scroll down that e-mail until you see a large blue icon that says Click Here to View the Service with a large Play button icon on it. There is an e-mail address and password just below the blue icon if needed. The password is BKBQKB.

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