Obituary: Zuckerman, Eric

ZUCKERMAN, Eric

Father Eric Zuckerman peacefully entered into God’s presence at Nestucca Sanctuary on the Oregon coast June 2012.

Eric was born in Nassau County, New York on June 9, 1952 to Melvin and Adele Zuckerman and was the oldest of three children.

Early in his life it became apparent to all that an ordinary life would not satisfy him.

He lived in New York City for 20 years and then moved out West where he spent the rest of his life between California, Oregon and Washington.

Eric was many things to many people…a Son of Abraham, seeker of God, accomplished chef, Catholic priest, skilled orator, published poet, musician, cultivator of medicinal cannabis, much-loved son, brother, uncle and friend.

His life was an ongoing conversion from darkness to light, isolation to community, hiding his gifts to sharing them, being self-absorbed to being a person for others.

His searching led him to the Trappist Abbey at Lafayette, Oregon in 1979 where he developed a long and loving relationship with the community of Brothers.

He studied at the California Culinary Institute of America in San Francisco in the early 1980’s and became a skilled chef.

Always seeking a deeper spiritual path, he entered the Society of Jesus and received his BA degree from Gonzaga University, a Masters of Theology from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley and a Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Montana at Missoula.

He was ordained a priest on June 20, 1998 and served at St. Aloysius Parish in Spokane for three years, ministering to the spiritual needs of the community.

Eric was wonderfully gifted and loved by many, but his restless nature and human frailties prevented him from finding home and happiness.

Though he struggled with finding peace the last few years of his life, we will remember and love him for his extraordinary gifts and his relentless desire to know God.

“Only in God is my soul at rest
In Him comes my salvation.
He only is my Rock
My strength and my salvation.”

(Psalm 62)
Eric is survived by his mother Adele Zuckerman of New York City, his brother Ken Zuckerman (Rhett) of Acton, Massachusetts, and his sister Robin Mathes of Los Angeles, California.

A memorial service will be held at St. Aloysius Church, 330 E. Boone Avenue, on Saturday July 7th at 9:30am.

Burial will take place in the family plot in New York.