Briana Jean Erickson

Rock Rapids, IA        Briana Erickson, age 36 of Rock Rapids, IA died Saturday, August 11, 2018 at Sanford Rock Rapids Hospital in Rock Rapids, IA.           Funeral service will be 10:30 AM Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at First Reformed Church in Rock Rapids, IA with Rev. Dan Haggar officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids.           Visitation will be Tuesday, August 14th, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM with family present at First Reformed Church of Rock Rapids, IA.        In lieu of flowers, the family wish memorials to be designated at a later time.        Briana Jean Erickson was born December 1, 1981 in Sioux Center, IA the daughter of Gerald and Jean (Mulder) De Bey. She grew up in Sioux Center and graduated from Sioux Center High School. It was during high school that she met her husband and love of her life while working at Fareway. On July 17, 2004 she and Erick were united in marriage at a beautiful vineyard in Indianola, IA. They began their lives and their family together in West Des Moines. They later moved to Sioux Center and then Rock Rapids where they have lived since 2011. Sadly, Erick and Briana were expecting their fourth child when she passed away suddenly of natural causes.      Briana was a loving and caring person with a beautiful heart. Her family meant everything to her and she cared for them with all her heart. She loved the simple things in life, a laughter filled conversation with a friend, or sharing a quiet sunset with someone special. She was content to enjoy those around her. Briana had a servant’s heart. She was very involved with her church and the many activities and programs involving children. She especially loved helping with MOPS snuggling babies. She was busy behind the scenes doing whatever she could to help them understand and love the Jesus she knew. Often times, kids would see her in public and run up to talk with her or to just get a hug. They will greatly miss her smiling face and open arms.      Briana was a very creative person. She started her own business creating things that burst from her imagination. Skilled and detailed, she would make beautiful items for people to enjoy. She was also an avid reader often going through more than a book a week. Sports was another passion for Briana. She could not wait for football to start in the fall, followed shortly by basketball, hockey, and baseball. However, she enjoyed baseball the most. She looked forward to the long weeks of games, and all day tournaments. She was her kids’ biggest fan. Briana was passionate about her family. She was madly in love with ‘her boys’. She thought about them, and to people she knew, she talked about them, a lot. They were her life. Briana was a wonderful wife to her husband and mother to her children.      She is survived by her husband, Erick Erickson of Rock Rapids and their children, Alex, Kael and Oliver; sister, Whitney De Bey of Iowa City, IA; mother, Jean De Bey of Le Mars, IA; father, Gerald De Bey of Sioux Center, IA; parents-in-law, Steve (Beth) Erickson of Indianola; IA, brothers-in-law, Matt (Adrien) Erickson of Ankeny, IA and TJ (Dori) Erickson of Sioux City, IA; sister-in-law, Jessica Erickson of Altoona, IA; nieces, nephews, and other extended family members.      She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Ray and Dena De Bey; maternal grandparents, Irwin and Gertrude Mulder; uncles, Jerry Mulder and Bob Nyhuis.