On Friday, January 28, which would have been Sen. Doug Ericksen’s 53rd birthday, the Senate took time to honor and remember his life and accomplishments.
After representing Whatcom County’s 42nd District in the state House and Senate for a total of 23 years, Doug passed away in December after contracting COVID-19, leaving a huge void in the hearts of many who knew him and worked alongside him here in Olympia.
Senators of both parties spoke about Doug, remembering his leadership, intelligence, kind heart and engaging nature. The lieutenant governor, who is also president of the Senate, presented Doug’s wife and two daughters with an American flag that flew over the state Capitol on the day of his memorial service in December. The Senate adopted a resolution honoring his service, which you can watch below. In a private ceremony, I was able to present the family with a plaque on behalf of the Senate Freedom Caucus, a larger version of which will hang in the Senate Republican Caucus room.