On this your 75th birthday, I want to share our family updates.

. Drew has married his lovely Kaiti

. Kory and Kaylee had Calla, your second great grandchild on September 23, 2020. She shares her birthdate with your dad Emil. More exciting news coming at Christmas time as your third great grandchild will be born to Kory and Kay.

. Ten years after our planning to move to Arizona began, I have finally met our goal. I too, am here now.

. What great memories I have of our life together! Our Lexi lives on in our hearts and memories too. Hugs, Kisses and Happy Birthday wishes!
Love, Your Wife, Mom, Grandma and Great Grandma
(Posted at Mom’s request)

Eloping 50 years ago today, we changed family member’s expectations, traditions and minds. We succeeded walking side by side and hand in hand for 45 years until death do us part. Whether climbing Mayan ruins or standing on the hill in Hong Kong looking over the river into China, our life’s adventures were magnificent! While raising our beautiful daughters you allowed our home to be open to others too for even more joy. We faced down your illness with positivity for twenty five years as we continued to walk together. Absolutely no regrets for a life lived well. As the final chapter is written, “ I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again.”

Dad, I miss you so much! Always in my heart!

Miss you Dad! You were such a big influence in my life and as an adult you were my friend. ❤

I miss talking football
I miss random texts
I miss sharing pics and stories
You were always the best

I have random photos
I have handwritten birthday cards
I have special memories
All of those will always be ours

Not just a Dad
You were so much more
I could always count on you
No matter what was in store

I know in my heart
You watch over our family
What was always most important to you
Will live forever in me

I miss you Dad!!

Dear Vonna and Family,
 So sorry to hear of Ricks passing.
 Alan and I remember the good times we had in Korea when he was in the Navy. He will be dearly missed.
Blessings to All of you
Alan and Ruby

Help keep Dad's passion for a cure going! Donations in our Dad's name can be made to kennedysdisease.org (are always welcomed), as well as buying a shamrock at your favorite retail store to support MDA.

Although you aren't here physically,

You are still here with me... and always will be.

The lessons you taught will live in me,

And I will live life to the fullest it can be.

I will continue to make you proud,

And I know I will feel you speak to me, although no longer out loud.

Love you so much Dad!

This was suppose to be what I said today at Dad's service but skipped some as I choked up. It's a beautiful day outside and a beautiful ceremony.

My Dad...where do I start? I was the baby of the family and as far back as I can remember my parents were there for me. I remember my dad taking my sister and I to church on Sundays. My mom would make homemade donuts, or breakfast, and then off we went to church with Daddy. After church he would take us to play tennis, or to swim at Aloha Pool. I cherish those times in my memory. My Dad was never one to say he wished he had a son or boys around, instead he made my sister and I feel like the biggest blessings in his life. He set the bar for what a man is higher than anyone can ever achieve in my heart.


My Dad and I would see a stray dog and he would stop. He had the patience of an angel even before he became one. Him and I would sit for hours coaxing that scared dog in and then proudly take it home to show mom who frantically would want to find its owner. Dad and I would have been fine keeping all of them!!!

I know he was always on my team, he would chuckle or smile and shrug his shoulders letting me know.


My Dad would drive me and a friend to the bird sanctuaries in Oregon and hike for hours on a weekend.
But what I remember most from those early years are family hugs. My mom and dad, married 45 years now, would hug and never could my sister and I just let them. We would sprint and get into that hug so it would be the four of us. Or on Saturday mornings before cartoons I would run to get into my parents bed and climb smack in the middle of them to go back to sleep. My Dad never once asked for me to go away. He was the most loving, gentle, kind soul I have ever known.


As I grew, so did my list of friends and boys. In junior high my social calendar became full and Dad would drive us to and from everywhere. My seven best girlfriends and I loved to stay at my house and giggle and pre-teen talk. There my dad would be dropping us off at the mall, or picking us up from the movies. Sometimes he would need to correct us - one time we said we were going to Aloha theater and he dropped us off...being rebellious teens we decided to walk down the street to a boys house, and when we turned we saw the mini van aka fish bowl with my dad who calmly rolled down the window and asked where we were going. Plans foiled I think we just went to the movies.


My Dad would put up with boys coming by and calling as we only had house phones in that time period, looking for all of us girls. He put up with us girls and our house was truly how my mom answered the phone "grand central station". Im pretty sure having that age kids myself now, you have to be special parents for teenagers to WANT to hang out around you and at your house. Special is not a good enough word for my dad.


Fast forward and I graduated from high school. My Dad and I drove the uhaul to Arizona where I was going to go to college. I still remember his facial expression when I was unpacked and he needed to leave to drive back to Oregon. He loved me so much and never did I doubt it. In college, I would have guys I dated accuse me of being a Daddy's Girl after hearing me talk on the phone with him. What a compliment I now take that as. I pray that I was indeed a Daddy's Girl, as I had one of a kind Daddy.


To this day, he may be the only phone number I know by heart. I would call him and we would discuss the drama of my life. He would always listen..and usually cleared his throat and then would say something positive and remind me that I need to live my life positively regardless of what was happening in it.


My Dad...Eric Achard Lockwood, was a self made gentleman, the old school kind that loves his wife for a lifetime, his daughters through all that life may bring, the family man that most of us can only pray to know, and the type of person that blessed everyone around by walking on this earth. I love him very much and was very blessed to call him Daddy.

I look back with fond memories at my time together at point lookout in Michigan with my cousin eric (called ricky then). we both spent several summers there and they were wonderful family times. we sort of lost track of each other for many years but reconnected several years ago. I was struck by his great courage and strength in the face of his disease. I am sure he is residing in heaven with a new perfect body, his suffering over. may God bless his family and comfort them in this difficult time.

Dad I love you so much and I find strength in myself right now because you were always such a positive person and amazing role model!

Goodbyes are not forever, are not the end. It simply means I’ll miss you until we meet again. I will be looking for you at the gates of Heaven my friend!!

Eric Achard Lockwood will be laid to rest in a grave site Episcopalian family service on Thursday, April 23rd at 11:00 am at The Valley of the Sun Cemetery in Chandler, Arizona.

Those wishing to honor Ric in lieu of flowers, please donate to the disease research he had in his honor, http://www.kennedysdisease.org/