Mary Kay Ravarino Erickson

Friday, Jul. 04, 2025

Mary Kay Ravarino Erickson

December 17, 1950 ~ June 20, 2025

Mary Kay “Cakey” Ravarino Erickson, age 74, passed away peacefully on June 20, 2025, in Salt Lake City, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was a beloved mother, wife, sister, nurse and devoted friend.

Born December 17, 1950, in Salt Lake City to Angelo Ravarino and Joyce Shaughnessy, Mary Kay was the fifth of six children. She graduated from St. Mary’s of the Wasatch and earned her nursing degree from Westminster College, beginning a 50-year career she truly loved.

She started as a surgical nurse in 1975 at St. Mark’s Hospital. In the 1990s, she helped pioneer home care for HIV-positive and oncology patients through the University of Utah. At the end of her nursing tenure, she cared for patients along Washington State’s rivers, often saying she was a “dam nurse” with a “dam job.” She cherished the bonds she formed with her fellow nurses.

In 1981, she married Todd Erickson at St. Ambrose Church, holding their reception at Alta’s Rustler Lodge – a nod to her love of skiing and the Wasatch Mountains. They would have celebrated 44 years of marriage on June 27. Together, they raised two children, Aimee and Adam, both of whom followed her into nursing.

Cakey lived life with joy and adventure. She loved traveling to Italy, floating the Grand Canyon with her friend Val, trips to Flaming Gorge with her sister and chosen sister Annie, biking and camping with Peggy and Dru, skiing alongside her friend Pam – wearing jeans and toting a Bota Bag in the early days – and making many other sojourns with friends and family. 

She is survived by her husband Todd Erickson; children Aimee and Adam Erickson; sister Carol Ravarino (Jim Wilcox); brother Johnny Ravarino (Pat); and her loyal dog Riley. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers Mickey, Danny and Jimmy.

The family is deeply grateful to those who were alongside them throughout her illness. Special thanks to her care teams at UC Health, IHC, CNS, the Huntsman Cancer Institute, and to Sherry Morris for bringing her care home to Utah. There is really no way to thank the Williams, Murphy and Wilcox families for offering homes away from home.

A private service was held July 2, 2025 at the Carmelite chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to SaveOurCanyons.org, Smile Train, Doctors Without Borders, or the Carmelites.