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Alfred Charles Erion, “Skip”
March 18, 1937–December 17, 2019
Alfred Erion obit pic
Skip was born March 18, 1937, in Iowa City, Iowa. He was raised by Ed and Lavern Erion in French Camp, California before joining the military to honor and serve his country at the tender age of 17. Skip enlisted in the Navy and shortly after transitioned to the Army where he was hand selected for Officers Candidate School and became commissioned as an officer. He soon garnered many accomplishments. He flew five different aircraft, the last was the Huey helicopter where he was selected as a test-pilot.
   While serving in Vietnam his helicopter came under heavy enemy fire. Skip was shot but managed to fly the hole-encased copter to safer terrain, ultimately saving lives and earning him two of the most prestigious honors, the Purple Heart, as well as the ‘Distinquished Flying Cross’.  Skip was a hero to our country and his family as well, although he would just say “I am just doing my job, the real heroes are my OCS classmates and many others who lost their lives in Vietnam.”
   The only thing Skip loved more than his country was his beloved wife of 59 years, Karola Erion. They went on to have a beautiful family of four children, Mike, Dennis, Teresa, and Toni.
   Services for Mr. Erion will be held at Sacramento National Cemetery, with Full Military Honors, on December 31, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. with reception following immediately after at 718 Donner Way in Woodland, California.
   Skip is survived by wife Karola, children, Mike, Dennis and spouse Tevanee, Teresa, Toni and spouse Rolly, as well as nine grandchildren, Nick, Ryan, Cameron, Kayla, Payton, Shaylon, Jordan, Tommi, William, and four great-grandchildren, Brayden, Carter, Lana and Lennon, as well as his brother Bob, Ronnie, and sister Patsy.
   Rest in Heaven Captain “A.C.E.” Erion, gone but never forgotten.

French Camp
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Tuesday, December 24, 2019