He served multiple terms on the Council of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, including two years as its chairman.

in biology and chemistry from Albright College in 1960, and taught general biology, anatomy and physiology, cell physiology and zoology at Drexel University and East Stroudsburg State College from 1962 to 1969.

[3] Erickson served as director of Public Health and later the chief administrative officer (1976–82) of Upper Darby Township.

[7] On March 20, 2001, Erickson won a special election with 60% of the vote to the Pennsylvania Senate to fill the unexpired term of F. Joseph Loeper, who resigned after pleading guilty to falsifying tax documents.

[11] He spent his last term in office sponsoring, among other bills, a plan to create and expand community-based healthcare clinics within Pennsylvania.