COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – February 18, 2019 – – Compassion International is mourning the loss of its former president, Wallace “Wally “Erickson.
Erickson, who led the ministry from 1975 to 1993, passed away on Sunday, February 17th, at his home in Grand Junction, Colorado. He was 90.
"We will forever be in the debt of this remarkable, compassionate man of God. He built the foundation for Compassion to become the beautiful, worldwide ministry it is today,” said Compassion’s current president and CEO, Santiago "Jimmy" Mellado. “We can only imagine the joy of the children in Heaven when this hero of the Kingdom walked in Sunday morning."
Erickson served Compassion in various roles for 25 years, first joining the ministry in 1968. He became president of the organization in 1975, and was instrumental in the ministry’s move from Chicago to Colorado Springs in 1980. At that time, the organization served 55,000 children. Today, Compassion delivers its church-based, holistic child development program to more than 2 million babies, children and young adults in 25 countries.
"I had the great honor of watching and learning from one of the most outstanding Christian leaders in this era of ministry," said Dr. Wess Stafford, who succeeded Erickson as Compassion’s President from 1993 to 2013. "He was a man of real integrity, of heart and faith."
Erickson was married to his wife, Mary for 68 years. They have three children, Debby, Karen and Wally Jr. and several grandchildren. Memorial services are still pending.