AL AND NAOMI ERICKSEN BERTI

 

Sgt. Alfred J. Berti, Marries Naomi Ericksen.

 Al was born Feb. 21, 1922 in Wishaw, PA to Enrico Berti and Josephine Messina. He served his country during World War II in the US Army. 

He married Naomi Ericksen, on Aug. 10, 1945, and they moved to Niagara Falls, NY where he worked in bridge and pier construction on the Niagara River. 

In 1950, they moved to Mt. Pleasant, UT where he became owner and operator of Ericksen Meat and Grocery. For many years it was a favorite gathering place for many Mt. Pleasant residents, who enjoyed the warm atmosphere, and a sense of humor. 

He later was employed as a supervisor of the turkey processing plant in Moroni, UT. 

Al was a true example of the perfect gentleman. He was a loving caring husband and father, who will be dearly missed. The family wishes to express their deep gratitude to Dr. LeGrand Belnap, the 4 West nursing staff at St. Mark's Hospital; and the love and kindness shown by the staff at Care Source.

Funeral services were held in his honor on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2004, at 11:00 a.m. in the Mt. Pleasant 4th Ward Chapel (55 S. State).  

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Naomi Ericksen Berti
Birth: 14 September 1925Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah, United States


Death: 10 July 2008 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States

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    RED AND WHITE STORE 

Henry Ericksen 

Naomi's Grandfather Henry Ericksen: 

 In about 1885, Grandpa Ericksen (Henry Ericksen) and his brother Allif started a meat and grocery store in Mt. Pleasant. Grandpa managed the store while Alif ran the farm and livestock; buying, feeding, and slaughtering for the store. They would notify the townspeople that on a certain day they were going to kill a beef in the evening and bring it to the store the next morning so that people could get a "hunk" of meat.

There were steaks, roasts, boils, stews or hamburger - just a chunk of meat. They would start cutting just the back of the ears and end at the hind shank. all the cuts sold for the same price per pound; whether it was the neck or the porterhouse. Then, to carry it home, the customer whittled a sharp stick, jabbed it in the piece of meat, and went home to mama, to have it prepared for the family dinner. There was no paper, twine or plastic to wrap the piece of meat in.

In 1893, they built their store on Main Street and took in another partner; brother-in-law, Judge Ferdinand Ericksen. The store was incorporated as the Ericksen Meat and Grocery Co. Their store was in a two-story brick building with a full basement. It was considered one of the finest institutions in the community.

Ferdinand Ericksen was a lawyer and occupied three rooms on the second floor for his law practice. The town doctor, Dr. W.W. Woodring, occupied the other two rooms on the second floor.

In 1920, Soren M. Nielson and Uncle Harry, Henry's son, bought the store. Then in 1925, Uncle Harry, bought Nielson's half interest and owned and managed the business alone. Uncle Harry put in about forty-five years operating the store. They did their own slaughtering and feed their own livestock such as hogs, lambs, and cattle. Before the meatpackers came into the state, they shipped out daily loads of dressed meat to Salt Lake City, Bingham, Eureka, and also Carbon County.

During those first twenty years of operation, they started to make their own lunch meats, bologna, minced ham, corned beef, head cheese, hamburger and sausage. But when the big packers came into the state that phase of manufacturing was discontinued. Until 1925 they handled the livestock with a first-class saddle horse. After that, motor trucks and trailers were used to move the livestock between range, feedlot, and slaughterhouse.

Ice was used in the store coolers until 1915 when modern refrigeration was installed. Before that, ice blocks were stored in the ice house under sawdust and used to refill the store's ice about once a week. With the advent of electric home refrigerators, the store discontinued using its own ice supply.

After Uncle Harry sold the store, there has been several companies using the Main Street building, including Al and Naomi Berti's Red and White store, Terrel's Red and White Store.
The Ericksen Meat and Grocery Co. had a lot of competitors come and go, but operated for over sixty-two years. And since 1986 it has been the home of the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid, the local newspaper. And now is the Gun Shop.