Eric Gunnar Ericson, 74, of Leonardo, New Jersey passed away peacefully Sunday morning, August 21, 2016 at Good Shepherd Specialty Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease. Eric was born on November 7, 1941 in New York, New York to the late Rev. Eric Gideon Ericson and Doris (Walden) Ericson of Redding Ridge, Connecticut. After attending The Choate School and Kimball Union Academy, he graduated from Ft. Lauderdale High School in 1959, where he was a National Merit Scholar. Eric received his B.A. degree in Government from Tufts University in 1964. Eric was a Senior Group Underwriter for Aetna in Hartford, Connecticut, and later was an Underwriting Consultant for The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U. S., Equicor, and Cigna in New York, New York. Over the years, Eric had been a member of several Episcopal churches and a member of the Jaycees.
Eric was known for his great and ironic sense of humor, his integrity and honesty. He was always truthful and never knowingly misled anyone. He was a true scholar and always a gentleman. He loved to travel, and with his amazing knowledge of geography, he made any vacation into an adventure, exploring unusual points of interest off the beaten path. Very often, friends and acquaintances were amazed at his detailed knowledge of places that he had never visited. No trip was complete without a visit to whatever race track was nearby. His special passion was for harness racing, but thoroughbreds or dogs would suffice. He was not a big gambler, but just loved the thrill of the sport. His last great adventure was a month-long, cross-country trip with his son, when they visited the Grand Canyon, the Alamo, and New Orleans. Although Eric was disabled for many years, he never complained, but instead was stoic about his pain and his physical limitations. He couldn’t bear to see anyone in need, and often quietly acted to mitigate others’ suffering.
He is survived by his loving wife of 39 years, Maureen (Solomon) Ericson, and his son, Michael Lobell Ericson, his daughter-in-law, Polina Ericson, and his two grandsons, Max and Alex Ericson, of Vladimir, Russia; his two sisters, Sylvia Ericson of Mountlake Terrace, WA and Virginia Ericson of Ojai, CA. He is also survived by a sister-in-law, Marcia Ericson of Rock Hill, NY, a sister-in-law, Ruth Scott, and brother-in-law, Russell Scott, of Harmony, NJ, as well as several nieces, nephews, and a grand-nephew. He was pre-deceased by his sister, Ingrid Wilmer and brothers, James Walden Ericson and Eskil Alfred Ericson. Eric’s family would like to thank the caregivers who were so loving towards him during his residence at Meridian Nursing and Rehabilitation at Shrewsbury, New Jersey, and also the staff at Good Shepherd Specialty Hospital for their many kindnesses in his final days.
Friends and family may call from 4 PM to 6:30 PM . Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016, at Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton and from 10:30 AM to 11 AM on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 500 Hillcrest Blvd., Phillipsburg NJ, followed by a service at 11 AM. Entombment is in St. Mary’s Mausoleum, Alpha, NJ.
If you would like to make a donation in Eric’s name, please consider either The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014 or Habitat for Humanity International, 121 Habitat Street, Americus, GA 31709-3498.Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.
