I first met Eric when a student at Lady Mabel College, Wentworth Woodhouse. He and his best friend Ian were frequent visitors to the predominantly female college!!! It was at my 21st Birthday Party that he first met my sister Alison, who had recently started at the college. Love at first sight it was not long after he took the brave step of joining our family!!
We were lucky to share many trips with family and friends; camping, sailing, canoeing, surfing and skiing. Carefree days that always ended sitting around a campfire, BBQ or table having a laugh and a few too many drinks!!
We remember when he and my sisters Ali and Hil spent 2 days tramping through several campsites on the Quiberon Peninsular in Brittany trying to find Phil and I amongst the hundreds who had chosen to camp there that summer. They had left the campsite address at home, and this was well before mobile phones; but against all odds they found us. It was a wonderful holiday together living literally on the beach and cycling around the area. His only complaint was ‘the bumps’ in the tee-shirts I lent him for surfing!
He loved his little family unit. He and Ali were a good team, and the birth of Sam was a joyous addition. Many years later when Rob came along and married Sam his happiness was complete.
One of my lasting memories is from recent times when, having shared a meal and one too many bottles of wine, Eric and I embarked on a performance of ‘I Got You Babe’ by Sonny and Cher; accompanied by an LP from his pristine collection! It was quite a performance; me tone deaf (so I am told!) carried by Eric, who it turns out after all these years, had a good singing voice!!!
We miss you Eric, but you have certainly left us with many happy memories!
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