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Edward Erazmus Obituary

Edward T. Erazmus

Mass of Christian Burial for KU Professor Emeritus, Edward T. Erazmus, 93, Lawrence will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, February 28, 2014 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. Military Honors will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. He died Friday, February 21, 2014 at Brandon Woods at Alvamar.

Edward was born April 22, 1920 in Grand Rapids, MI, the son of Andrew and Josephine (Lewenski) Erazmus.

He graduated in 1938 from Central Catholic High School in Grand Rapids, MI. In 1942, obtained a BA from Aquinas College, and his MA (1948) and PhD (1961) degrees from the University of Michigan. He served in the Air Force during WWII from 1942-1946 as a radio operator. He was medically discharged in 1946 and returned to college to complete his graduate degrees on the GI bill.

He married Dorothy H. Rozek on May 2, 1953 in Grand Rapids, MI. She preceded him in death April 21, 2007.

In the early 1960s at age 40, Edward and Dorothy adopted 5 children (3 girls and 2 boys) during a time when interracial adoption was not common. He and his wife took in foster children and helped Vietnamese refugees who needed help upon their arrival to Lawrence, KS.

Dr. Erazmus came to the University of Kansas in 1963 and established the Intensive English Center in 1964 (Director of IEC from 1964 - 1975; IEC became AEC in 1976), while dedicating much of his research to developing ways to explain concepts of anchorage and articulatory settings to learners of English. Professor Erazmus spent his last 10 years at KU teaching graduate-level seminars in the Linguistics Department and the School of Education. He retired from KU in 1985 as an associate professor. To read a 2002 interview with Dr. Erazmus, go to: http://www.eslminiconf.net/april/erazmus.html

He was a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus, and served as a Republican Committee member in the late 1990s for the Kanwaka Township in Douglas Co.

Dr. Erazmus was passionate about his Linguistic research, his faith, his family, gardening, and helping those in need.

Survivors include 3 daughters, Maria Gibson, Le-Thu (Steve Campbell) Erazmus, May-Lum (Daniel) Davidson, all of Lawrence; one son, Joseph Erazmus, Lawrence; one sister, Clara Platz, Sterling Heights, MI; one brother, Raymond (Lee) Erazmus, Ocala, FL; 2 brother-in-laws, Walt Wendell, Belmont, MI, Robert Giffels, Flint, MI; 14 grandchildren, Ranee, Marta, Michael, Scott, Jamie, Kayla, Matthew, Kimberly, Kirsten, Alyx, Isaac, Brandon, Corin, and Sam; and 9 great grandchildren, Autumn, Anthony, Jacob, Cricket, Adaleigh, Asher, Nathan, Zaybrianna, Ivianna; 3 great-great grandchildren, Bella, Alex, Ava, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was also preceded in death by his parents, a son (Martin Erazmus), a brother and 5 sisters.

A Rosary will be 6:30 p.m. Thursday, February 27th with a visitation to follow until 8:00 p.m. at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence.

The family suggests memorials in his name to the Edward Erazmus Linguistics Scholarship Fund in care of KU Endowment, Knights of Columbus, or the Brandon Woods Employee Recognition Program and may be sent in care of the mortuary.

Online condolences may be sent to www.warrenmcelwain.com

Please sign this guestbook at Obituaries.LJWorld.com.

Published by Lawrence Journal-World on Feb. 24, 2014.
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Memories and Condolences
for Edward Erazmus

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Le-Thu
Wish we could have there to support you.
You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Love. Dean and Wilma

February 28, 2014

Maria and Family,
So sorry to hear about the loss of your father and grandfather. Keeping your family in our thoughts and prayers while going through this difficult time.

Gary & Debby Fornelli

February 28, 2014

Marta Keller,

You are in our thoughts....Your Grandfather was a remarkable man! All our best..

Doug Pierce DMG MORI - USA

February 25, 2014

Joe I am so very sorry for the loss of your father. What a blessing all the years you got to have him with you

Trina Langston

February 24, 2014

Very sorry for your loss.

Steve Corbett

February 24, 2014

I had the privilege of being one of Dr. Erazmus's linguistics students at KU. He was a kind, patient professor... and very practical. To this day I make good use of what I had learned in his classes all those years ago. To his children, I thank you for sharing your dad with all of us. He was a really fine man.

Nancy Wood

February 24, 2014

Dr. Erazmus was one of my professors during my first semester of graduate school. As a result, many of his lessons stood out in my mind over many years as an ESL educator. He was obviously serious about his profession and a credit to KU. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work in the AEC, which he helped found. His life's work will live on in many ways and places, that is clear from his life story which I read here, as well as from personal observations. I extend sympathies to the family. You must be terribly proud of him, and grateful for so much.

February 24, 2014

My sympathy and prayers go with you in the passing of your loved one. I had great respect for him as one of my bosses in my teaching years at KU.

Gerald Denning

February 24, 2014

Le-Thu and family,

So sorry to hear of your fathers passing. I will always remember him for his smile and laugh he had always ready.

Debbie Grasser Filkins

February 24, 2014

Le-Thu and family
We just read the passing of your father and were sorry to hear of it. He had a good life which will leave you all with good memories of him and your family. May God Bless you all at this time

Joe and Mary Sharp

February 24, 2014

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Funeral services provided by:

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