Donald Theodore Erdman

Donald “Don” Theodore Erdman, 93, husband to Joan Carolyn Bernthal Erdman, of Easley South Carolina, passed away Monday, March 6, 2023.

Born in Marinette, Wisconsin, he was the youngest son of the late Theodore A. J. and Grace Lambeau Erdman.  

Don proudly served with the U.S. Army from 1948-1952 during the Korean War, serving a majority of his time at Madigan Army Hospital (Tacoma, Washington) and Camp Drake Replacement Depot (Tokyo, Japan).  

He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Lawrence University (1956) where he met Joan, who became his wife of 66 years.  He later received his Master’s Degree in Education from Northern Illinois University (1967). Upon graduation from Lawrence University, Don moved to Memphis, Tennessee to work for Kimberly Clark, and then briefly worked for Aetna Insurance before deciding he would prefer to be an educator.  

After a year teaching 8th grade math in Memphis, he took the family back north to be near Joan’s parents. He then began a 28 year career working for Community Unit School District #303 (St. Charles, Illinois), first as a 6th grade teacher, later as a district-wide reading consultant, and then served as principal in a succession of 5 of the 7 elementary schools in the district, retiring in 1988.

In addition to his loving wife Joan, Don is survived by his son Carey Donald Erdman and his husband Carl Kraenzel (Boston, Massachusetts); his daughter Susan Lynn Iannucci and her husband James Jr. (Wappingers Falls, New York), as well their children Eric and Frances.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Lynwood J. Erdman and his wife Meta Morgenson; and his sister Elaine C. Christensen and her husband Arthur J. Christensen.

Don was a member of Easley Presbyterian Church. 

A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Friday, March 10, 2023 in the chapel at Foothills Retirement Community, 205 Bud Nalley Drive, Easley, SC 29642

The family will receive friends immediately following the service in the Fireplace Lobby of the Main Dining Room at the Foothills Retirement Community.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to any of the following four charities: 
·    Ripple of One: <https://www.rippleofone.org> 
·    Doctors Without Borders: <https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/>
·    Volunteers in Medical Missions (VIMM), <https://vimm.org> 
·    Orbis International: <https://www.orbis.org/en>

Visit RobinsonFuneralHomes.com or Robinson Funeral Home & Crematory-Downtown, Easley.