ForeverMissed
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This website was created in memory of Eric Kaplan, 62, born on March 20, 1952 and passed away on February 1, 2015. He was an amazing husband, father, son, brother, friend and person. 

March 20, 2023
March 20, 2023
Great friend —-good golf partner—-missed
March 20, 2022
March 20, 2022
Happy heavenly birthday guv. You are sorely missed
February 2, 2022
February 2, 2022
It is hard to believe it has been 7 years since you left us. I miss all of our chats at the desk, you are truly missed my friend.
February 1, 2022
February 1, 2022
We still think and talk about you at crossroads in Sanford. You were one of the best guv'nors I ever worked for. We still miss your humor after all this time.
February 1, 2022
February 1, 2022
Another year gone by my friend. God bless and best wishes to your family.
February 1, 2021
February 1, 2021
Eric,
You've been gone for a while now, still miss you. Good friends are forever.
God Bless you my friend.
February 1, 2021
February 1, 2021
Good friends and golf partners are never forgotten.......
March 20, 2020
March 20, 2020
Sure miss him and all the rounds of golf we played. Cherish every moment that you have with friends and family. Rest well my friend you definitely deserve it after all the hard work you endured here on earth.
February 1, 2020
February 1, 2020
Eric, i know you are watching over your girls and rejoicing seeing them flourish. We all miss you
February 1, 2020
February 1, 2020
Hi Eric,
Another year has gone. Hope Patty and your Girls are doing well. I was talking to a co-worker the other day and told them about all then goofy crap we used to do at work. Miss you my friend.

Tim
February 2, 2019
February 2, 2019
You will always be in our hearts
Masha, Tanya, Dmitri
February 1, 2019
February 1, 2019
Hey pal,
I know you're ok and looking out for your family. Think about you often, miss the fun times we had working together. Hard to believe I had fun at work, but you made a difference. God Bless
February 1, 2019
February 1, 2019
Erik,
It is hard to believe it has been 4 years. I know you are watching us from above. We miss you my friend , this place is not the same with out you.
February 1, 2019
February 1, 2019
Been four years and I think of Eric often....golf days are a bit empty without hearing Eric exclaim “oh Eric” after a less than perfect shot...my golf buddy, my pal.....my friend.......you are missed
March 20, 2018
March 20, 2018
Not a day goes by that we don't think of you and talk about you. Your sweet granddaughter Carli has your friendly, happy personality and reminds us of you everyday! We miss you and know that you are watching over your family.
March 20, 2018
March 20, 2018
We still miss Eric very much at Crossroads Ford in Sanford. His personality, his humor and his leadership. We talk about him often. There was only one Eric. We miss you guv.
February 1, 2018
February 1, 2018
Hello my friend,
I hope Patty and the girls are doing well. I miss you my friend.
February 1, 2017
February 1, 2017
Eric,
It's been two years, wow. I know you are doing well now and keeping a watchful eye on your family. I miss you my friend. See you again some time. Gob Bless
March 20, 2016
March 20, 2016
We were just reminiscing about Eric the other day at work. Eric hired me in the car business 20 years ago ( even though he said he "zigged when he should of zagged" when he made that hiring decision) . He truly had the biggest influence on me when it came to staying in the business. I will remember his great humor, his love of golf and of course his love of Disney ( can still picture him with his Mickey Mouse ears on lol). Every once in a while, when it's just a little slow at the dealership, I will say one of my favorite sayings in Eric's honor..."cars for sale, red ones blue ones". Or tell one of the sales guys "I zigged when I should have zagged " and I will think of my friend. You are missed my friend. Happy Birthday Eric.
March 20, 2016
March 20, 2016
I can't believe it's been a year since we lost Eric. Those of us still at Crossroads Ford Sanford that worked under Eric still miss him greatly. We think of him and still talk about him quite often and remember what a great guy he was. Eric left an indelible mark on us all. One quote he used to preach of Vince Lombardi's that stays with me to this day. "If you're not ten minutes early, you're late". Thanks Eric, you were the best guv'nor I ever worked for. I miss you more than you could know.
February 2, 2016
February 2, 2016
Hi Folks, I want you to know Eric is always in our thoughts and our conversations. Eric was a great manager and more than that a great person. He is forever missed.
February 15, 2015
February 15, 2015
I worked with Eric for many years at Crossroads and I will miss the way he always tried to make it fun while trying to inspire others. Rest in Peace my friend you will be missed.
February 15, 2015
February 15, 2015
Kaplan Family,

I knew Mr. Kaplan as Jess' Dad, when he was here in the Keys visiting. In the early days he participated in one of our dolphin encounters - complimentary for staff family members... Well, with this giant smile, he joked about just how much the complimentary program had cost him - alluding to college, internships and whatnot that Jess needed to land her dream job. Even to someone who didn't know him, the beaming face said it all. After that, whenever visiting, first thing in the morning he would check in to say hello and chat for a little while. He always had a joke, a hug and a "see you later". Later was each time his daughter was on docks, working at the job of her dreams, and every time, there he was, with Mrs. Kaplan... Silently cheering her on. I am sure he continues to do just that. I will miss him and am so glad I has the opportunity to meet him.
February 15, 2015
February 15, 2015
Having worked with Eric a number of years at David Oneal was a one of my great opportunities in life. What a great guy - we had a lot of fun not only working together but enjoying that time. We both had families and being involved with our wives and children was very important to us . Eric always helped in making that happen for me as he knew how important that was - he never grew tired of sharing stories about his girls and Patti and how much they meant to him always being involved as much as possible . When i was making my first trip to Disney he insisted that i read his Disney book and follow it to the letter - in doing so i had many very successful trips to Disney . i am very thankful for my friendship with Eric and my sincere condolences to all the family. When i think of Eric my memories will be good ones.
February 15, 2015
February 15, 2015
I met Eric when he became our GM at Crossroads Ford of Sanford. I have to say he was the best GM that I have ever worked with. The thing that stood out to me was everyday he made his rounds through the dealership to say Hello. He would always come to service, sit at my desk and we would just talk about work, family, and life. I have never met his family but I feel like I know them. He loved his family so much. When he would talk about them his face would just light up. He was very proud of his daughters and their accomplishments. Y'all are very blessed to have had such a wonderful man as your father. Since Eric left the dealership I still sometimes wait for him to come around the corner to Service to pick on me and throw peppermints at me. You will always be in my heart and I will miss you greatly.

Love You, Krystal
February 14, 2015
February 14, 2015
Very sad to hear of Rick's passing. Our prayers are with you. I met Rick a few times over the past 25 years and each time was a pleasure. He was always happy and a very kind soul. Much love to the Kaplan family.
February 12, 2015
February 12, 2015
Patty, Jess and Shelby, Beau and I are so saddened to hear of Eric's passing. We will always remember Eric as a fun loving friendly guy who loved life. We enjoyed spending time on the soccer fields and school activities with him and especially loved his great sense of humor!
You are in our thoughts and prayers. Beau and Jerry Hodge
February 9, 2015
February 9, 2015
I worked with Eric at a few Crossroads Ford stores over the past 9 yeas. He was a fine man who made everyone feel good about life...including myself. He took a sincere interest in the people around him and spoke quite often of his family. So as I look at the wonderful photos posted on this memorial site and read the various tributes, it gives me great comfort to know that he was truly loved in return.

May God be with you Patty, Shelby and Jess during this difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
February 9, 2015
February 9, 2015
Ben and I were so sad to hear of Eric's passing. We have very fond memories of what a nice person Eric was and how he always had a smile on his face. When we were with him he always spoke of his family and how much he loved them. 
Patty both Ben and I are very involved with the Lung Cancer Initiative and if there is anything we can to help you please feel free to reach out to us. My Mom had lung cancer and so after she passed I reached out to this organization and have been very involved since.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
February 8, 2015
February 8, 2015
Eric was our boss in Sanford for 2 years and I have to say, it was a great pleasure. He was one of the best guv'nors I've ever worked for. He had a great work ethic. He wanted us to work hard but encouraged us to have fun whilst doing so. He could be a tough boss but was always fair. He'd let me know if I did anything wrong as he'd throw the book at me, literally. Those little black books mostly or any other projectile that was close to him at the time. One of his many attributes is that he always made a point to greet all his staff every morning which always made a good start to every day. He would often regale us with his people stories beginning with "I swear, you can't make this stuff up". How I'm going to miss those stories and miss Eric. He was a good bloke and a great guv'nor.
February 6, 2015
February 6, 2015
I have known Mr. Kaplan since I was a child as Jess is one my best friends. I grew up spending numerous nights over at the Kaplan house. Mr. Kaplan had an amazing sense of humor and always had me laughing. I will always remember him calling us "boneheads" in a very loving way. My fondest memory involves a trip to Disney World. I was lucky enough to be invited to join Jess and her parents for a week down in Disney. We had a blast from riding all the rides to hanging out at the resort. We went to this one place at the resort for ice cream sundaes multiple times. Mr. Kaplan was constantly cracking jokes and comparing us to disney characters! Needless to say it was an amazing vacation. I am honored and blessed to have known Mr. Kaplan and his love for both of his girls was beyond evident. You will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.

Mrs. Kaplan, Jess, and Shelby I am thinking of you and your family through this difficult time.
February 6, 2015
February 6, 2015
Patty, Shelby and Jess,
I knew Eric for a little over a decade through my work connections at CrossRoads.
He was a great man and friend to all he met. Happy by nature, he always had a (joke and a) smile to share and I always left our conversations in a happier place than when I started. Every time I caught up with Eric, the subject always turned to the three of you. He spoke of you with love and great pride. 
I am so sorry for your loss. My heart and prayers go out to you. 
Amy
February 5, 2015
February 5, 2015
Patty, Shelby and Jess,
Although it's been just over a year since we have gotten to know Eric and your family, we are so happy Jess and Nick brought our families together. Our time with Eric was much too short yet in that short time we got to know what a great man and father he was. We will miss his smiles, sense of humor and devotion to his family, and just wished that we had met Eric and the Kaplan family sooner. Our prayers are with you all.
February 5, 2015
February 5, 2015
Patty, Shelby & Jess,

Larry and I are so very sorry for your loss. Eric was such a cheerful, upbeat, fun-loving neighbor. He always had a smile and a wave for us whenever he was out and about. Our prayers are with you all during this difficult time.
February 4, 2015
February 4, 2015
I WORKED WITH ERIC FOR ALMOST 7 YEARS AT CROSSROADS FORD. ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT PATTI AND HIS DAUGHTERS. GOOD FRIEND. I SEND PRAYERS TO PATTI AND HIS GIRLS. ALWAYS COUNT ON GOD TO GET YOU THROUGH THESE TOUGH TIMES....LATER EK...tonyb
February 4, 2015
February 4, 2015
Eric was a fantastic person, he made everyone else's day better!
I got to know Eric over the past 10 years, all starting with the purchase of an F 150 (followed by several more purchases). I haven't met Eric's family but I feel like I know them because of the lengthy conversations we've had, all of which included his family - he was very proud of them.
A wonderful person - honest, sincere and caring. My heart and prayers go out to his family.
February 4, 2015
February 4, 2015
Patty, Jess, and Shelby,
I am so very sorry to hear of Eric's passing! Though we have not seen each other for a few years, I have such great memories of our girls soccer team together; many long practices and a few long road trips! My heart goes out to you and your family and my thoughts and prayers are with you all.
With our deepest sympathy,
John and Suzanne, Lauren (LT) and Connor Turnburke
February 4, 2015
February 4, 2015
The Kaplan family was basically my second family all growing up given my friendship with Jess. I have countless memories of Mr. Kaplan - every one of them good, and mostly funny. I think my best memories of Mr. Kaplan were when he took Jess and I to Disney World - just the three of us. First of all, how many dads would take their daughter and her best friend to Disney World by himself? This is just who he was. I can remember him ordering a phone call from Goofy to wake me up in the morning. I also remember he was just as excited, actually a little more so, than Jess and I to be at Disney World. He rode everything. I was called a "bonehead" a lot of times around him - always in jest, just like a fun dad would do. He was goofy, but he had the best heart. He loved his kids and anyone in their lives. He was completely invested in the lives of those he loved. All who knew him will miss him greatly, but I am so glad I will see him again in heaven one day.
February 3, 2015
February 3, 2015
I, like many others, have worked with Eric off and on over the last 13 years. When Eric arrived in Sanford to start 2013, we were in dire need of a GM. We were very lucky to get Eric here; and, it was a pleasure to
work with him. He really set the mark for being a true leader and gentleman; and, he made sure to go see and talk with each of my employees at the start of his day. His presence here has been missed since he retired. After getting to share stories with him about living in Houston to our daughters having graduated from ECU, I can see that he must have been a wonderful Husband and Father. He was quick to throw a jab as well as take one. I will miss you my friend. To The Kaplan Family, my heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with you!
February 3, 2015
February 3, 2015
It was great knowing Eric. He had a way of making you better. We missed his presence at the store once he retired. GOD seems to always take the best ones early. Eric we miss you. To the family, we are with you in prayer.
February 3, 2015
February 3, 2015
We all have fond memories of Eric, and of course our favorite stories. He was a great man who loved his family, and gave it his all at work. Praying for the whole Kaplan family.
February 3, 2015
February 3, 2015
Eric my friend, You are the best. Having you throw black books at me, or listen to you plan your next adventure with Patty to see one of your daughters was your way of getting through the days work. Work was fun with you around. Your love for your family and how proud you were of your daughters kept you smiling. I will miss the insulting phone calls we always had after we were in different stores. I will miss you my friend, but I will see you later.
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March 20, 2023
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Great friend —-good golf partner—-missed
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February 3, 2015

I was the GM of Crossroads Ford of Wakeforest. At the time we did not have a sales manager. One day Eric showed up from the Cary store, the first thing he said was "i don't want to be here, I am only here because Allen gave me no choice". My reply was " great, why don't you just get to work or quit then". It took us about three days to start getting along and we had a blast. After about five months he started telling me that I would be transfered to the Cary store some day. I thought he was full of it.
 Well, he was right. When the transfer happened he asked me what I thought he should do. I told him that he should stay and be the GM, he said "I don't know how to run a store". My reply was "you are great with people, don't worry about the other stuff". "Just pretend you in Disney World every day". He was an expert at that. Thanks for the memories my friend.

Tim

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