Theresa Ericksen

Theresa Ericksen (1867–1943) was an U.S. Army Nurse who served in the Philippines-American War and World War I. She was a founder of the Minnesota Nurses Association. Late in her life, she requested to be buried at Fort Snelling Military Cemetery, which then only served active service members attached to the post. Her request led to the creation of Minnesota's first national cemetery.

Life and career Born in Oslo, Norway in 1867 and orphaned at age six, Ericksen grew up with her aunt and uncle, as well as her Norway-based grandmother. With her aunt and uncle, she traveled around the world, including to China and Japan. She moved to Minnesota with other family following the death of her grandmother.

Ericksen attended St. Paul's Northwestern Hospital's School of Nursing, graduating in 1894. Several years later, in 1898, she and seven other nurses formed the Ramsey County Nurses Association, which would go on to become the Minnesota Nurses Association. It was the first centralized nurse registry in the United States, and they wanted "to place the profession of nursing on the highest plane obtainable.”

Also in 1898, a new and committed citizen, Ericksen volunteered as a contract nurse for the U.S. Army. She first served at the Sternberg Army Hospital in Georgia, before volunteering to support Minnesota's 13th Volunteer Regiment in the Philippines-American War. She was a Regular Army Nurse, and the regiment's only female member. She attended the cemetery's dedication day.

Ericksen died on August 31, 1943. She was buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery to taps and a twenty-one gun salute.