Eric Paul Laschinger

He was brave. He was honest. He was an explorer of life, constantly intrigued by his daily discoveries. He was a beer enthusiast and a walking encyclopedia. He was a man who loved sand between his toes and dog fur between his fingers. He could solve the most intricate of computer problems and had the beauty within him to find amazement in a firefly He was the pillar his wife leaned against, never bending. He was the son every parent dreamed of and the friend any person could be lucky enough to have. And he was not on this earth long enough.

Eric Paul Laschinger, 32, passed away on July 8, 2014, in his home in Alexandria, VA, surrounded by family and love. His courageous 10-month struggle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia has ended.

For a life so short, Eric packed a lot into it. Born on February 13, 1982, in San Jose, CA, he became a man who was clearly enamored with the world around him. He enjoyed the meticulous craftsmanship of home brewing, the sound of breaking waves while playing bocce ball on the beach, the peaceful flickering of a late-night campfire, the inexhaustible energy of Emma, his Bernese Mountain dog.

His mind, as his life, brimmed with curiosity and discovery. He loved learning about new things—be it an enticing destination to explore or an interesting story on Reddit— and sharing them with loved ones. And his loved ones, in turn, shared his contagious enthusiasm for food, wine and golf.

Those loved ones include his wife and closest friend, Kristin Nunez. They met and married in Santa Barbara, where Eric graduated from UCSB with a B.S. in Computer Science and a Masters in Economics, which lead to his employment with ABC-CLIO and Mission Linen Supply in Santa Barbara and, later, as a software developer with IBM in Arlington, VA, where his talents were recognized and valued by his colleagues.

Together Eric and Kristin shared an adventure that crossed the continent, moving to Alexandria to start the next chapter in their lives. Sadly, that chapter ended many pages too soon, and without the children they both hoped for. Eric would have been an amazing father.

Still, he was a brilliant and kind man, and he will be missed more than he ever thought possible. The people who will miss him most, his family, include his wife Kristin Nunez & dog Emma Bear Laschinger of Alexandria, VA; his parents, Michael & Cheryl Laschinger of San Jose, CA; his grandparents, Colleen & Carl Mills of Prescott, AZ; and his sister Kristen Watts & and Jonathan Watts, his brother-in-law of San Jose, CA. In addition, he will forever be in the thoughts and prayers of many aunts, uncles and cousins, as well as Louis & Susan Nunez, his mother- and father-in-law, John Nunez, his brother-in-law.

A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 10, at Godric’s Grove (Elings Park), Santa Barbara. In lieu of flowers, Eric expressly wished that donations could be made in his name to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital. www.stjude.org/tributes

To see photos of Eric’s wonderful life, and to learn more about his heartbreaking struggle with Leukemia, you are welcome to visit EricsScramble.blogspot.com