Stephen Carl Erickson

Stephen Carl Erickson, 31, of Naples, FL unexpectedly passed away on May 09, 2023. He was born on July 02, 1991 in Pasadena, CA. 

Stephen is survived by his wife of 10 years, Maria; their children, Viviana [4] and Mateo [1]; his parents, Richard, and Rosanna; his in-laws, Jorge and Vivian; his siblings, Robert and Ashley, his brothers in-law, Juan, Jorgito, Josh; and his loyal dog, Maggie. He is forever adored by his many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins, especially Allan, Bernard, and Chris.

Stephen grew up in Santa Clarita, CA. Following high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served from 2009-2013 and achieved the rank of Corporal. About a year before completing active duty, Stephen met his wife, Maria, at the wedding of mutual friends. In what proved to be a beautiful whirlwind romance, they were married just 6 months later. Upon discharge from the Marine Corps in the fall of 2013, Stephen moved to Gainesville, FL, where he attended Santa Fe College, and the University of Florida. There he and Maria began to grow their family, welcoming their daughter in 2018. A few years later, they settled in Naples, FL where they created countless memories, and welcomed their son in 2021. They enjoyed beautiful moments as a family preparing Saturday morning brunch and will cherish memories of Stephen dancing in the kitchen while making cafecito.

After leaving the Marine Corps, Stephen found purpose and brotherhood playing and coaching Rugby. Throughout his life he enjoyed staying active. When he needed respite, he sought the peaceful serenity of nature. He spent many happy moments in his life fishing, often recalling funny stories & memories of family trips to Mammoth Lakes, CA with his brother, cousins, and father. His silly jokes have always brought enjoyment and humor to everyone. 

Stephen was at times a project manager, a problem solver, a diligent worker and a team player, serving in various IT roles that required system administration, cross department collaboration, cyber security, and server management. He applied those skills to fatherhood where he could be found digging holes, coloring on the walls, jumping in muddy puddles, and running up and down the driveway pushing a Little Tikes car. His vibrant sense of humor and excitable nature gave him a magnetic personality that endeared him to many across all aspects of his life.

Stephen was a loving father, husband, brother, son, friend, and by all accounts, a dedicated Marine. Stephen loved his fellow Marines and viewed them as family regardless of how long he had known (or not known) them. He always made time to be there for his Marine brothers and offered kindness to everyone around him. 

Stephen’s memory will live on in many ways - Viviana’s sweet jokes, and Mateo’s beautiful smile. His love for his wife and children is his legacy. Stephen’s enduring devotion and sense of humor will always be remembered. As he used to say, “This is gonna be a goodie”.

If you would like to help Maria and their children through the challenging times that they will be facing, you can donate to the GoFundMe organized to help his family. Alternatively, you can make a donation in Stephen’s honor to K9’s 4 Warriors, helping connect veterans with service dogs.