George F. Erickson III.

Obituary
George Franklin Erickson III (“Ruff”)
(January 28, 1942—April 14, 2018)

George Franklin Erickson III—known affectionately as “Ruff”— died at home in Santa Fe, N.M. surrounded by his family on April 14. He was 76.
A jack-of-all-trades who was perhaps best known for his 1990s regional TV show, New Mexico Outdoors, George was born in Oklahoma City and raised in Kewanee, Ill. He was one of three children of George F. Erickson II and Vivian Wright Erickson.
After high school, George joined the U.S. Navy for four years. He met his future wife, Claudette Dumont, in Lewiston, Maine in 1962, while he was on leave and visiting his sister. They were each 20 years old. He left the next day to go to his new post in Iceland. There, he wrote to Claudette every day until he returned six months later and asked her to marry him.
George was then stationed at Brunswick, Maine, and the couple married in February 1963 in Lewiston. Their first daughter, Stacy, was born later that year. George’s parents were living in Lubbock, Texas so George decided that after he was discharged from the Navy, he should go to college at Texas Tech University. The young family moved to Lubbock and lived there from 1965 until 1973. Their second daughter, Jill, was born there in 1970.
Rather than finish his degree, George decided to enter the life insurance business, and his company moved the family to the Philadelphia area while they were grooming him to become a manager. The company then offered George a position in Albuquerque. The family moved to Albuquerque in 1973. George had offices in the Duke City and in Santa Fe.
George eventually quit the insurance business and worked installing cash registers around the state. As a result he met chef Mark Miller and helped him open Coyote Café in Santa Fe. George and Claudette established their home in Santa Fe, and George sold cars for Joe Horace Chrysler-Jeep for a time.
But George was easily bored and always needed a new challenge. One day he came home and asked his wife, “What do you think about me doing a TV show?” He had always been a fisherman, hunter and avid golfer, and he conceptualized a 30-minute show shot on location around New Mexico. Sometimes the show included George cooking whatever fish or animal he’d caught or hunted. Basically, the show allowed George to do what he loved to do anyway. He was a good salesman, and was easily able to acquire sponsors for the show.
At age 62, George had a heart attack, leading him to quit the program and retire.
In retirement he played golf, went fishing and traveled with Claudette, who retired three years after him. The couple often went to Maine to visit Claudette’s family, offering George more opportunities to fish and golf. Claudette recalls that in keeping with his “jack-of-all-trades” career, George was also spontaneous and fun in his personal life with her. He would come home and say things like, “Do you want to go to San Francisco tonight?” and mean it.
In 2014, George was diagnosed with skin cancer on his face, which spread into his neck, head and lung. He underwent approximately 14 surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy, which extended his life until his death in April.
He is survived by his wife Claudette of Santa Fe; daughter Stacie and her husband, Skip Chavez, who live and work on their alpaca ranch in Tygh Valley, Oregon; Stacie’s son Joshua, who lives in Albuquerque; and daughter Jill, a jewelry designer, who lives with her husband Chris Trujillo in Albuquerque. George is also survived by a sister, Gaylene Isenburg (husband Gordon) of Arlington, Texas, and sister Tommie Behnke (husband Dean) of Glendale, Ariz. George is also sorely missed by the family dogs, Penny and Newman.
A graveside service will be held at the National Cemetery at 2:15 May 25. Donations may be made in George’s honor to the Santa Fe Animal Shelter, 100 Caja del Rio Road, Santa Fe, N.M. 87507.
Arrangements are being handled by Rivera Family Funeral Home of Santa Fe.
The family would like thank Ambercare Hospice of Santa Fe, especially Dr. Karin Thron, nurse Ashley Chaffee, aide Ericka Rae Sakuyva, social worker Stephanie Mollica; and Rev. Hollis Walker.
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