Today, his closest companion is Ladi, his dog and self-appointed guardian. “She’s my protector,” he says with a smile. “She lets everyone know whose room this is.” Life at 102 is not something Nate romanticizes. “I wouldn’t recommend it,” he says candidly. “The nineties are wonderful. Not all of your body makes it to 102.” Still, there are small joys he looks forward to each day—good coffee, friendly faces, visits from his daughters, and the quiet comfort of being cared for. When asked what he hopes readers take away from his story, Nate doesn’t hesitate. “The Battle of the Bulge has to be remembered,” he says. “Because without it, we wouldn’t be here. That’s not history for glory—it’s history so we don’t forget.” Nate Ericson doesn’t raise his voice to tell his story. He doesn’t seek applause or recognition. Yet in his steady presence and measured words, the weight of history is unmistakable—carried quietly by a man who lived it, and who believes it still matters today.
For Nate, telling his story isn’t about recognition. It’s about remembrance.
After the war, Nate returned home and built a life grounded in creation rather than destruction. He became an architect, believing there was little future in aviation after witnessing millions of planes scrapped post-war. He worked as a landscape architect at the University of Kansas, taught perspective to students, and later designed buildings that would serve his community—including a cancer care building for Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
Scan here to read Nate’s story in the Lawrence Times.
His love of flight never disappeared. Instead, it took a quieter form. Nate began designing and building model airplanes from scratch—drawing plans, crafting parts, installing engines, and watching each one take to the air. Every plane he built flew successfully. It allowed him to remain close to a lifelong dream—one he would later fulfill by earning his private pilot’s license. Family became another source of deep pride. Nate speaks tenderly of his three children—Lisa, Kristen, and Steven—admiring their resilience, intelligence, and generosity. He shares stories of his late wife Ann with warmth and humor, acknowledging that marriage, like life, was never perfect but always meaningful.
14 CEDARHURST SENIOR LIVING | SPRING FLOURISH 2026
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