Sister and brother Zena (Zenaieda) Abbie (Henninger - Wanner) and Donald Richard Erickson shown here with their Bismarck High School portraits from 1944 and 1946 respectively.

Zena was born July 3rd, 1928 in Bismarck, North Dakota and Don was born in Cherbourg, France on September 8th, 1926.

Zena and Don are the children of Klavdia (Khalflova) and Andy (Anders) Sebran Erickson. Klavdia immigrated from Russia in 1926 and Andy immigrated from Sweden when he as seven years old in 1903.

Thanks goes out to my cousin Mark Henninger of Bismarck, Zena's son and Klavdia's grandson for sending me these photographs.

Mark wrote this about his grandparents, Klavdia and Andy:

My grandfather Andy Erickson and my grandmother Klavdia met in Russia when Andy went there to instruct farmers how to use and repair farm equipment. This was shortly after World War I. Andy had served in the Air Corps with the 101st Aero Squadron at the Issoudun Aerodrome near Bourges, France.

The Bolshevik Revolution was beginning and Klavdia received her travel papers just before Russia stopped allowing citizens to travel to Europe. With a planned meeting in Europe, Andy and Klavdia began a life together that brought them both eventually to the states. She only had two suitcases with her containing a few photos of family, some jewelry and some clothing. Just before she left, Bolshevik officers took over the family home and their lands.

Klavdia along with her parents and five sisters had only a few hours to pack up and leave. I think of the book Dr Zhivago, Grandma Klavdia lived it!!"