A Eulogy

Shocked is not the word. Numb better describes how I feel at the moment. I can hardly believe it.

I am here, speaking to you today in loving memory of Eric, “Lucky” Eric the Viking, Father, Son, Brother, Husband, Lover.

Eric who with all the love in his great big heart lived life to the fullest. He rode his bike and rode it often, in good times or bad. It was his life….the only thing that meant more to him was his family.

Our brother Lucky created his own light.

The glory of being a human being is that we are capable of being so much to so many. His children knew him as their father. His parents knew them as their son. Jill knew him as the reason for loving. We knew him as our friend and brother.

He was so much to so many and now he has gone on.

As eloquently said by a friend of the road… "Our community lost an icon the day Eric finally took a rest." He was and is so loved and missed by his beautiful wife Jill and their children, by his SCRC family and by his innumerable brothers and sisters of the road.”

Eric had a zest for life that was second to none…we all knew Eric was never one to color between the lines. He rode hard and he loved hard.

Jill, I know you know this, but it needs to be said out loud. Eric thought the sun rose and set on you. You are “why he’s lucky”. I once asked Eric what he was most proud of in his life and he turned and pointed to you and your children.

Eric lived his life ever mindful of the biker’s mantra…"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- WOW-- What a Ride!!!"

When I sat down to write this eulogy I first thought to myself that this is not the job for me. Better suited would be a family member or someone that new him longer or better than I.

I thought, if it were up to me I’d lead off with something by Frank Zappa and immediately thereafter thought that it might not be proper for a funeral, and then again thought “it might be the most proper after all, my friend Eric didn’t hold too much for propriety.

Then I thought, "If Eric is right and I am wrong…I'll find him somewhere in heaven, and I’ll wag my finger at him and he’ll go ‘neener, neener, neener.’"

Eulogies tend to paint the deceased as a saint, but not here. Nobody should pull their punches. Eric wasn’t a saint, but we all recognize that the world is a better place because Eric passed through it.

The last time I saw Eric he was doing what he loved the most. I am so grateful that a guy like Eric comes along every now and then. I hope that as even he died fighting the demons that took his life he realized how much we loved and appreciated him.

We all know that when someone is seriously hurt or killed, life goes on. When cameras are rolling and microphones switched on, you'll often hear quotes like "We've got to keep on doing whatever it is we were doing before because 'he would have wanted it that way.'"

Sometimes you have to wonder if it's just a pat phrase to help them get through a difficult time. Sometimes you might even wonder if it's true.

In this case, we know this to be true. Eric would not want us to mourn too long, to weep or wail. Eric would want us to laugh and remember why he’s Lucky.

And Eric would want us to ride.

To that end we will remember Eric the man. Eric the father, Eric the husband. We will know that Eric is with us, in our memories and in our hearts and on the road. We will remember Eric as he was.

Eric, my brother, you’ve made the full circle. God and all the other Great Sprits alike have blessed you and all that loved you in your brief time with us and for that we are grateful.