Obituary of Kevin Erker

Kevin Francis Erker was born on October 8, 1981 to Steve and Cindy Erker at Cheyenne Wells, CO. He was the first of five children. Kevin grew up with custom harvesting as his parents’ business. Steve was there for the birth of Kevin but flew to Florida a few days after Kevin’s birth to meet up with his combine crew for fall harvest. Cindy and Kevin, only 10 days old flew to Florida to be with Steve. Kevin loved combines and harvesting. At the age of 11, Kevin was operating a combine like a grown man. His mom, Cindy kept asking Kevin to come to the house after supper in the field but he wouldn’t hear of it. He stayed out as late as the men. One get together at Ferd and Mary Kay’s house, Grandpa Olin gave Kevin, who was 6 months old at the time, a sip of his Pepsi. Olin asked his daughter Cindy if that was his first taste of pop. Cindy answered yes. Grandpa Ferd under his breath said “that she knows of”. Kevin attended and graduated from Cheyenne Wells in 2000. He attended Front Range Community College and graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Computer Networking. He worked at the college in the Math Department while attending college. After college he worked for Celestica on an assembly line building computer boards. Kevin and Glenda attended the same church and school, all through their childhood years. It wasn’t until December 1998 that they finally noticed one another. They loved to argue about who asked who out first. Kevin married his high school sweetheart and love of his life, Glenda Hanavan on April 17, 2004. That summer, Kevin and Glenda went on harvest with Kevin’s parents. In the fall, Kevin and Glenda moved to Parker, CO where he worked at John Deere Landscaping. In 2006, Kevin and Glenda moved back to Cheyenne Wells where they partnered with the Erker Harvesting business. They started their family with the birth of their son, Preston in November 2006. Keenan followed in January 2009. Parker arrived in November 2010. Kevin was anxiously awaiting the birth of their fourth child to arrive in May 2014. Glenda, during labor with their children would always comment to Kevin, “I can’t do this”. Kevin would tell Glenda, “It’s too late”. Family was everything to Kevin and Glenda. They decided to home school their children so they could spend more time together as a family. Kevin was always happy and smiling. He was a very easy going man who never knew a stranger. Kevin was willing to help out whoever and whenever he could. He loved his sweet treats. You rarely found him without a Reese’s or Dr. Pepper. His mother once had to hide a bunt cake she had made because she knew he would smell it out. This past December, Kevin was a proud dad watching his boys ski for the first time. Kevin was elated to go skiing again in March with his sister Julie and brothers Keith and Jason. Kevin was happily sore for days after. Going home to his family and telling Glenda he couldn’t move, Glenda offered him little sympathy but was glad he had that opportunity to spend time with his siblings. Steve took Kevin to his first farm auction when he was about 6 years old and showed him the ropes. When Kevin started looking for his newest combine he involved his boys. Kevin and the boys would sit together at the computer, browsing for combines to bid on. The boys required the combine to have a back-up beeper and beacon lights and of course Kevin required that the machine was GREEN! He would even take the boys’ toys, one CASE and one JOHN DEERE, and point to the Case and say, “This one is BAD”…”The green one is GOOD”. Kevin will be remembered by these stories and many others. More than anything he will be thought of as someone who always put his family first. Kevin was electrocuted in a farm accident and passed away on April 2, 2014 at the age of 32. He is preceded in death by his grandfathers Ferd Erker, Olin Johnson and Jim Borkosky; Cousins Patrick Brooks and Cody Pelton. He leaves to mourn him; his wife, Glenda, children Preston, Keenan, Parker and baby #4; his parents Steve and Cindy, siblings Megan (Derek) Wendt, Julie, Keith and Jason Erker; His father-in-law and mother-in-law Chuck and Kathy Hanavan, Sister-in-law Cherie (Brad) Bornhorst, brother-in-laws Daniel (fiancé Lynn) and Clint Hanavan; His grandmothers Mary Kay Erker and Alice Borkosky; Nieces and nephew, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.