Eric was a wealthy man.

He had many hopes and dreams coming up in his life.

We will all miss Eric deeply.

We all loved and cared for him.

Too bad Eric has to go up there.

Eric drew wonderful paintings.

Eric, we will always love you and whatever comes

into our lives, you will always be our dearest

most thoughtful friend.

This is a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson that we printed on the back of

Eric's St. Francis Mass card. Eric also loved animals, and he worked as

a caretaker at a cat shelter for many years. He never made lots of 

money, drove fast cars or dated beautiful models. He was a recovering

addict and was 2 years clean when he passed, though prior to a 3 year

relapse, he had been clean 11 years, so 13 in total. He was in AA and

NA, and at his wake, there was not even one second that went by that

my mom and i didn't have someone telling us either how much he

affected their lives or that he had SAVED their lives. In life, you would

never have known how he helped others because he wasn't a

braggart about it.  Children loved his gentle nature. He was a great poet

and painter, brother and son, and I am extremely proud to have loved

him so completely that there was nothing left unsaid between us, and

when he passed, I still felt him with me. Thanks, Eric, for being the best

brother ever.

"To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent people

and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics

and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the

best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by healthy child, a

garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has

breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson -