Gunnar Eriksson
![Eriksson at the 1948 Olympics](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Gunnar_Eriksson_StMoritz_1948.jpg)
Eriksson had five brothers and three sisters. Their father died aged 42, and the children had to start working in their teens at the local knife factory; in 1946 they started their own hardware business. Eriksson married Kerstin Norlin, the winner of the 1949 Vasa ski marathon, who lived next door. She died aged 38. After retiring from competitions in 1954 Eriksson spent time collecting stamps, fishing, hunting and working as timberjack. In 1980 he developed Lou Gehrig’s disease and died in July 1982. Provided by Wikipedia