A LIFE WELL LIVED AND LOVED!
March 18, 2014
Eric was an amazing talented executive chef and a fun great person with a huge heart and loved all things music and singing on and off key, mostly off but he was so handsome who cares right! Eric had such a great laugh, had the best personality, so funny, quick witted, really enjoyed life to the fullest. All things sports, he had the best body for it, loved to surf, play basketball and baseball, loved riding his bike everywhere, he was just so much fun to be with, so awesome this lovely soul. He was deeply sensitive to a fault at times, he would worry about everyone and loved animals. Buster was his dog for many years Eric talk about Buster all the time, loved our cats, Mr. Moo, Hankie and Luna, Eric and Hankie had a special bond. Eric honestly had the biggest heart and he was loved by many. Eric received his BA in English Literature at Eastern Washington University. He started his cooking career with his sister Linda, then at Etta’s Seafood in Seattle is where Eric skyrocketed to brilliance in the culinary profession;check out this link to a great article on Eric early accomplishments as a chef http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960211&slug=2313471
He had worked at the Prado, Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego, Loews Hotels in Beverly Hills, Aubergine San Diego, The Grant Hotel San Diego, and House of Blues on Sunset. Eric favorite food was Fritos and Tabasco and a really odd habit of licking A1 sauce from his hand. I catch him during the the middle of the night standing naked in the kitchen pouring A1 in his palm and lick it off too funny. But hey he's cute he can do whatever he wants! His son and daughter meant everything to him. We talked about them all the time. Every morning he say I wonder what my son is up to today and was so excited when his son was finally old enough to have a cell phone, so we taught Eric how to text as he was very technology challenged. Eric would say “I love my boy boy, he is the king”, “he is a champion” and always he would say "He is the most handsome boy ever, ever!" which at times brought him to tears he loved that boy of his so much, and I say yes baby he is beautiful. His daughter is also extremely beautiful and has his heart (and hands) and I wish she knew how much he talked about her, how much she and her daughter were always on his mind and how beautiful he said she was and so proud of her and the young lady and wonderful mommy she has grown up to be, a survivor is what he would say about his daughter. She knows his love for her but she didn’t see what I got to see every day, both his children where on his mind and Eric would tell me how much he loves them and he was in awe of his granddaughter it was amazing to him this little life.. He would say “I can't believe in my lifetime I get to see this sweet little face full of life and spirit and smiles all the time, she amazies me that one”. Eric really was looking forward to teaching her how to surf. Those children are all the very best parts of Eric. I would tell him that all the time. Eric would get down at times and I say Hey baby… if you ever need a reminder why we love you and why you matter in this crazy world remember this; those children of yours have all the wonderful greatest qualities about you! so remember that when you get down on yourself there is proof walking around the world you rock! Eric loved thunder clouds the bigger the thunder cloud the more excited he got, even at age 48. Our birthdays are 10 days apart same year, Eric is the older one and I teased him all the time when he would complain I'm getting old for 9 days until my birthday came, then I say “Baby what is all your griping about, it’s great to be our age! We earned it!. This year Eric wrote me a beautiful letter for my birthday and he got me a ring I found after he passed, the jewelry lady called my cell said he forgot to pick it up bless his heart, he always gave my cell out for everything, he couldn’t remember his, I guess a gift from heaven after he passed Thanks babe, I love it!. He loves all things tree's and can tell you the name of pretty much all of them you pointed to. I took him to Descanso Garden's where we lived, he fell in love with this place all the 100 yr. old trees, flowers, streams, water falls, turtle pond, walking paths. Now in the past month I make myself get out of bed on Sunday, as you can only imagine how difficult it has been losing my Eric this has been so hard, now I get up go right when it opens first thing in the morning and sit by the waterfall and walk on the trails and I sit at the grove of trees and say “Wow Babe what a beautiful day, love you”. Eric favorite flowers of all time are the bougainvillea flowers the fuchsia colored ones. We planted one in our front yard that was growing so fast it made him so happy to see it from our living room window. He loved to read please forgive me, as I cannot remember his family friend that is an accomplished author, but Eric loved his book and spoke of him a lot. Loved reading murder mysteries and all things men fashion and all things rock and roll. Yes, I spoiled him with his favorite Ben Sherman menswear and shoes oh boy loved his shoes and belt buckles the Jesus one I got him he loved loved loved. Eric was also gifted with the knowledge of all things music! His favorite bands to name just a few are Stoogies, Pixies, The Smiths, Mazzy Star (he and I would go to the cliffs in the middle of the night open the sun roof and listen to Mazzy) Fourth of July, POD, Nirvana, Mudhoney, Fu Manchu, Nashville Pussy, Neal Young, Johnny Cash, Clutch, Queens of Stone age, Nancy Sinatra, Carly Simon “Your so vein” I sang to him all the time as he could never pass a reflection without checking himself out in true Eric fashion (well he was drop dead gorgeous who can blame him) all things underground music, Misfits, The clash, David Bowie, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols,loved X - Blue Spark and Rolling Stones, scorpions (he and I shared our love of 80's rock bands too). He made fun of Sleepy La Beef; he do this I can sound like a girl voice from one of Sleepy songs and he made fun of Boy Bands. Eric loved to dance, and I mean in Eric Rillos style which I adored about him, he get up and dance all over the place and do this dip back move with his thumbs up cracked me up every time, I said that is the reason I fell in love with you right there those smooth moves.. He would say not my good looks baby?! I say nope I’m bored of those damn good looks; it’s that dance and your cute baby butt. We laugh and laugh.. He loved Dig the documentary we watched it all the time. He loved watching Bubble boy the movie with me all the time, Shrek he did a great gingy voice soooo cute… no I don’t know where the muffin man lives, he cracked me up, other favorite movies American History X, Fight Club, Flight and really liked the newer Wizard of Oz movie with James Franco, and Life of pi. His favorite TV Shows..Yes people.. He did watch some TV, Modern Family, Big Bang Theory and he was watching and getting caught up on the mentalist because his son watched this show and Eric wanted to keep up. And of course all things sports and news, I swear our TV was never turned off ever. We both loved taking photos, well me taking photos of him of course. But we would go out on all day trips to all the churches and really cool places and take great photos. I was with Eric for 11 years; Eric was married once to a lovely woman named Eden. Eric and I talked about getting married; he was funny that one, so on Dec. 21, 2008 Eric gave me my diamond ring to prove his love and commitment to me. We dashed off on Dec. 28, 2008 to Mexico and were married and made the choice for personal reasons to just keep between us. At some point we were going to do the family and friends celebration but never got around to it. The final week of his beautiful life his mother and I had a wonderful visit I really loved her chats, and she asked "why are you did you two not get married, and Eric squeezed my hand and whispered you can tell my mom now.. and with him there next to both of us I told her, well.. we did and Eric kept squeezing my hand and whispering I love you Kimmie. She was so lovely about knowing the truth we kept quiet....
I loved hearing his heartbeat since the first time we where together that was one of my very favorite things was to listen to his heartbeat and I'd always give him one kiss on his heart (the night eric passed I kept thinking this date means something to us, and I found the photo of the ring when he gave it to me and the receipt was behind it and it read 12/21/08 five years earlier to the day, un real) I enjoyed our private time those days in the hospital he hold my hand gave me a kisses , I would lay in the same bed next to him (before his brother came into town) which was the last night we ever slept together in the same bed now that I think of it.. But boy he held my hand and told me he loved me so much during that time up to the last hour of his life. Never got alone time with him after the family started pouring in with all their love, Eric was truly loved by many he really has the most beautiful family; ALL of them. The first night the family came, they ran up to Wienerschnitzel and pretty much bought the entire supply of all of Eric's favorite hot dogs. Bless his heart, it was so painful to eat, but I was so touched with how having his family there and eating his one of his favorite foods, I had to go outside and cry, because I knew these were the last hot dogs he would ever have, and he enjoyed everyone of of them. Family is so important...
The first time he told me he loved me he played Pixies LA LA Love you, we were at Cherry Bomb. Eric and I would go bars with jukeboxes and flip a coin, if I won then I would go first pick a bunch of songs to see how his music trivia knowledge was holding up, we had that in common which was awesome, and I would blow him away with one or two songs every time, he would say “Baby you’re alright” and yell that’s why I love this woman! Then it was his turn, we always had everyone in the bar joining us singing laughing the best of times. One of the best times we had together Eric would always talk about was our 40th birthday, I got us box seats at the Hollywood Bowl right next to the stage and Queens of Stone age opened for Nine Inch Nails, that where he got his Star F#$Ker t-shirt he loved.
Eric loved his family very very much, he had a special relationship with Eva and Mitty. Eric mother.. well Mickey is something special to Eric.. god he loved his mother. He would say My mom is the most beautiful mom ever! He liked her free spirit, respected that about her and how giving she is to her church and community. It was when his mom showed up that I noticed Eric starting to stare at everyone intently, trying to memorize everyone's face. Ernie , he adored and losing Ernie was a big big hit to his heart, I just remember always kissing him on his heart and he say why do you do that? I said babe I feel your heart hurting and Ernie told me to kiss you right there. Eddie he loved so much and talking to and having Linda there those final days right next to him on his favorite couch gave him such peace seeing her. And of course all his cousins;Ronnie was his brother NOT a cousin, Ronnie was so important to Eric, nephews and nieces he just loved and adored all. In the last days, Eric held my hand more than he had in 11 years and say over and over in a whisper I love you I love you. We fought hard when people got in our way and we loved harder, but he always came home to me and in the end our love was the best when tested beyond the limits and I am extremely blessed to be one of the ones to help my beautiful Eric move on to his next journey with love, kindness, respect and peace. He was so brave, when they told us the sad news, Eric was so brave and I grabbed his face and wiped his tear away and looked him deep in his big brown eyes and said I love you more than all the stars in the sky babe, I am not leaving you here !! you understand, God will decide what day, no doctor will, and it’s not today and not tomorrow and I’m bringing you home and bringing all your love and I promise you this my handsome beautiful Eric this is not the end of you knowing of yourself and I promise I will tell you when there is not a tomorrow and he said you promise I said yes babe I promise. So every day after, I kiss him all over his face and neck, look in his eyes and say god your gorgeous and not today babe and not tomorrow ok.. He said ok, or nod yes toward the end. Having is daughter by his side with Eddie really no words to express what them being there for the hard stuff did for his mental well being they where angles and Ronnie (Eric bond with Ronnie, well when I met Ronnie I understood. A man of character and kindness and fun) and Linda and Dana and Dorien in our bedroom, Joni, Coco, Rollie, Markie, Mitty & Pony, and Jen, Jeff and their little newborn daughter and Eva and Don, Laura, Tracey and his mom really rallied around Eric and his spirit was strong because of them all. My only rule during this time was our house was an open house, no appts needed in our house, the lights are on the door unlocked just come when you can come and boy did they come and I am in awe of this family unit and bond. I was blessed to witness what I saw from each and everyone of them and so many that could not make it but he knew they where sending prayers, never alone. When Eric passed he looked like an angel, an hour before I was sitting with him and he was staring at me and I said to him remember my dad’s funeral and you said I wonder Kimmie will people say anything like that about me when I die. Well between his entire family and all the friends that could make it and the ones that could not where able to get their messages to him. So in those last moments I had alone sitting next to Eric ,I said remember my dad’s funeral? What you said to me and I want you to know Eric you did so good in this life, all the ups and downs and look at all this love for you babe, I’m so proud of you, all this love came through the door for you... it was a life hard lived (he tried to smile but was in too much pain, but my Eric was there and I always knew that) but you lived a life of love, you did good babe. You have a beautiful daughter, son and granddaughter and a family that loves and adores you. Friends that came from everywhere to see you and show you your life mattered and babe I love you so very much and you know your my great love (his eyes got big then it was sweet) ... and all this love Eric you take with you and most people do not get to see this love and you did Eric, god wanted you to see what a beautiful soul you are to all of us and your life mattered it was a life well-loved and lived, just like my dad babe and I kissed his lips and face and his heart. Eric passed an hour later 12/21/13 at 10:02pm. In our home warm and loved and looked like an angel. There is a huge void in this world. If ever there was a person that should have lived a 100 years on planet earth, it was our Eric.
He had worked at the Prado, Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego, Loews Hotels in Beverly Hills, Aubergine San Diego, The Grant Hotel San Diego, and House of Blues on Sunset. Eric favorite food was Fritos and Tabasco and a really odd habit of licking A1 sauce from his hand. I catch him during the the middle of the night standing naked in the kitchen pouring A1 in his palm and lick it off too funny. But hey he's cute he can do whatever he wants! His son and daughter meant everything to him. We talked about them all the time. Every morning he say I wonder what my son is up to today and was so excited when his son was finally old enough to have a cell phone, so we taught Eric how to text as he was very technology challenged. Eric would say “I love my boy boy, he is the king”, “he is a champion” and always he would say "He is the most handsome boy ever, ever!" which at times brought him to tears he loved that boy of his so much, and I say yes baby he is beautiful. His daughter is also extremely beautiful and has his heart (and hands) and I wish she knew how much he talked about her, how much she and her daughter were always on his mind and how beautiful he said she was and so proud of her and the young lady and wonderful mommy she has grown up to be, a survivor is what he would say about his daughter. She knows his love for her but she didn’t see what I got to see every day, both his children where on his mind and Eric would tell me how much he loves them and he was in awe of his granddaughter it was amazing to him this little life.. He would say “I can't believe in my lifetime I get to see this sweet little face full of life and spirit and smiles all the time, she amazies me that one”. Eric really was looking forward to teaching her how to surf. Those children are all the very best parts of Eric. I would tell him that all the time. Eric would get down at times and I say Hey baby… if you ever need a reminder why we love you and why you matter in this crazy world remember this; those children of yours have all the wonderful greatest qualities about you! so remember that when you get down on yourself there is proof walking around the world you rock! Eric loved thunder clouds the bigger the thunder cloud the more excited he got, even at age 48. Our birthdays are 10 days apart same year, Eric is the older one and I teased him all the time when he would complain I'm getting old for 9 days until my birthday came, then I say “Baby what is all your griping about, it’s great to be our age! We earned it!. This year Eric wrote me a beautiful letter for my birthday and he got me a ring I found after he passed, the jewelry lady called my cell said he forgot to pick it up bless his heart, he always gave my cell out for everything, he couldn’t remember his, I guess a gift from heaven after he passed Thanks babe, I love it!. He loves all things tree's and can tell you the name of pretty much all of them you pointed to. I took him to Descanso Garden's where we lived, he fell in love with this place all the 100 yr. old trees, flowers, streams, water falls, turtle pond, walking paths. Now in the past month I make myself get out of bed on Sunday, as you can only imagine how difficult it has been losing my Eric this has been so hard, now I get up go right when it opens first thing in the morning and sit by the waterfall and walk on the trails and I sit at the grove of trees and say “Wow Babe what a beautiful day, love you”. Eric favorite flowers of all time are the bougainvillea flowers the fuchsia colored ones. We planted one in our front yard that was growing so fast it made him so happy to see it from our living room window. He loved to read please forgive me, as I cannot remember his family friend that is an accomplished author, but Eric loved his book and spoke of him a lot. Loved reading murder mysteries and all things men fashion and all things rock and roll. Yes, I spoiled him with his favorite Ben Sherman menswear and shoes oh boy loved his shoes and belt buckles the Jesus one I got him he loved loved loved. Eric was also gifted with the knowledge of all things music! His favorite bands to name just a few are Stoogies, Pixies, The Smiths, Mazzy Star (he and I would go to the cliffs in the middle of the night open the sun roof and listen to Mazzy) Fourth of July, POD, Nirvana, Mudhoney, Fu Manchu, Nashville Pussy, Neal Young, Johnny Cash, Clutch, Queens of Stone age, Nancy Sinatra, Carly Simon “Your so vein” I sang to him all the time as he could never pass a reflection without checking himself out in true Eric fashion (well he was drop dead gorgeous who can blame him) all things underground music, Misfits, The clash, David Bowie, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols,loved X - Blue Spark and Rolling Stones, scorpions (he and I shared our love of 80's rock bands too). He made fun of Sleepy La Beef; he do this I can sound like a girl voice from one of Sleepy songs and he made fun of Boy Bands. Eric loved to dance, and I mean in Eric Rillos style which I adored about him, he get up and dance all over the place and do this dip back move with his thumbs up cracked me up every time, I said that is the reason I fell in love with you right there those smooth moves.. He would say not my good looks baby?! I say nope I’m bored of those damn good looks; it’s that dance and your cute baby butt. We laugh and laugh.. He loved Dig the documentary we watched it all the time. He loved watching Bubble boy the movie with me all the time, Shrek he did a great gingy voice soooo cute… no I don’t know where the muffin man lives, he cracked me up, other favorite movies American History X, Fight Club, Flight and really liked the newer Wizard of Oz movie with James Franco, and Life of pi. His favorite TV Shows..Yes people.. He did watch some TV, Modern Family, Big Bang Theory and he was watching and getting caught up on the mentalist because his son watched this show and Eric wanted to keep up. And of course all things sports and news, I swear our TV was never turned off ever. We both loved taking photos, well me taking photos of him of course. But we would go out on all day trips to all the churches and really cool places and take great photos. I was with Eric for 11 years; Eric was married once to a lovely woman named Eden. Eric and I talked about getting married; he was funny that one, so on Dec. 21, 2008 Eric gave me my diamond ring to prove his love and commitment to me. We dashed off on Dec. 28, 2008 to Mexico and were married and made the choice for personal reasons to just keep between us. At some point we were going to do the family and friends celebration but never got around to it. The final week of his beautiful life his mother and I had a wonderful visit I really loved her chats, and she asked "why are you did you two not get married, and Eric squeezed my hand and whispered you can tell my mom now.. and with him there next to both of us I told her, well.. we did and Eric kept squeezing my hand and whispering I love you Kimmie. She was so lovely about knowing the truth we kept quiet....
I loved hearing his heartbeat since the first time we where together that was one of my very favorite things was to listen to his heartbeat and I'd always give him one kiss on his heart (the night eric passed I kept thinking this date means something to us, and I found the photo of the ring when he gave it to me and the receipt was behind it and it read 12/21/08 five years earlier to the day, un real) I enjoyed our private time those days in the hospital he hold my hand gave me a kisses , I would lay in the same bed next to him (before his brother came into town) which was the last night we ever slept together in the same bed now that I think of it.. But boy he held my hand and told me he loved me so much during that time up to the last hour of his life. Never got alone time with him after the family started pouring in with all their love, Eric was truly loved by many he really has the most beautiful family; ALL of them. The first night the family came, they ran up to Wienerschnitzel and pretty much bought the entire supply of all of Eric's favorite hot dogs. Bless his heart, it was so painful to eat, but I was so touched with how having his family there and eating his one of his favorite foods, I had to go outside and cry, because I knew these were the last hot dogs he would ever have, and he enjoyed everyone of of them. Family is so important...
The first time he told me he loved me he played Pixies LA LA Love you, we were at Cherry Bomb. Eric and I would go bars with jukeboxes and flip a coin, if I won then I would go first pick a bunch of songs to see how his music trivia knowledge was holding up, we had that in common which was awesome, and I would blow him away with one or two songs every time, he would say “Baby you’re alright” and yell that’s why I love this woman! Then it was his turn, we always had everyone in the bar joining us singing laughing the best of times. One of the best times we had together Eric would always talk about was our 40th birthday, I got us box seats at the Hollywood Bowl right next to the stage and Queens of Stone age opened for Nine Inch Nails, that where he got his Star F#$Ker t-shirt he loved.
Eric loved his family very very much, he had a special relationship with Eva and Mitty. Eric mother.. well Mickey is something special to Eric.. god he loved his mother. He would say My mom is the most beautiful mom ever! He liked her free spirit, respected that about her and how giving she is to her church and community. It was when his mom showed up that I noticed Eric starting to stare at everyone intently, trying to memorize everyone's face. Ernie , he adored and losing Ernie was a big big hit to his heart, I just remember always kissing him on his heart and he say why do you do that? I said babe I feel your heart hurting and Ernie told me to kiss you right there. Eddie he loved so much and talking to and having Linda there those final days right next to him on his favorite couch gave him such peace seeing her. And of course all his cousins;Ronnie was his brother NOT a cousin, Ronnie was so important to Eric, nephews and nieces he just loved and adored all. In the last days, Eric held my hand more than he had in 11 years and say over and over in a whisper I love you I love you. We fought hard when people got in our way and we loved harder, but he always came home to me and in the end our love was the best when tested beyond the limits and I am extremely blessed to be one of the ones to help my beautiful Eric move on to his next journey with love, kindness, respect and peace. He was so brave, when they told us the sad news, Eric was so brave and I grabbed his face and wiped his tear away and looked him deep in his big brown eyes and said I love you more than all the stars in the sky babe, I am not leaving you here !! you understand, God will decide what day, no doctor will, and it’s not today and not tomorrow and I’m bringing you home and bringing all your love and I promise you this my handsome beautiful Eric this is not the end of you knowing of yourself and I promise I will tell you when there is not a tomorrow and he said you promise I said yes babe I promise. So every day after, I kiss him all over his face and neck, look in his eyes and say god your gorgeous and not today babe and not tomorrow ok.. He said ok, or nod yes toward the end. Having is daughter by his side with Eddie really no words to express what them being there for the hard stuff did for his mental well being they where angles and Ronnie (Eric bond with Ronnie, well when I met Ronnie I understood. A man of character and kindness and fun) and Linda and Dana and Dorien in our bedroom, Joni, Coco, Rollie, Markie, Mitty & Pony, and Jen, Jeff and their little newborn daughter and Eva and Don, Laura, Tracey and his mom really rallied around Eric and his spirit was strong because of them all. My only rule during this time was our house was an open house, no appts needed in our house, the lights are on the door unlocked just come when you can come and boy did they come and I am in awe of this family unit and bond. I was blessed to witness what I saw from each and everyone of them and so many that could not make it but he knew they where sending prayers, never alone. When Eric passed he looked like an angel, an hour before I was sitting with him and he was staring at me and I said to him remember my dad’s funeral and you said I wonder Kimmie will people say anything like that about me when I die. Well between his entire family and all the friends that could make it and the ones that could not where able to get their messages to him. So in those last moments I had alone sitting next to Eric ,I said remember my dad’s funeral? What you said to me and I want you to know Eric you did so good in this life, all the ups and downs and look at all this love for you babe, I’m so proud of you, all this love came through the door for you... it was a life hard lived (he tried to smile but was in too much pain, but my Eric was there and I always knew that) but you lived a life of love, you did good babe. You have a beautiful daughter, son and granddaughter and a family that loves and adores you. Friends that came from everywhere to see you and show you your life mattered and babe I love you so very much and you know your my great love (his eyes got big then it was sweet) ... and all this love Eric you take with you and most people do not get to see this love and you did Eric, god wanted you to see what a beautiful soul you are to all of us and your life mattered it was a life well-loved and lived, just like my dad babe and I kissed his lips and face and his heart. Eric passed an hour later 12/21/13 at 10:02pm. In our home warm and loved and looked like an angel. There is a huge void in this world. If ever there was a person that should have lived a 100 years on planet earth, it was our Eric.