Erich Paul Halbig

How do you tell the story of a man? How do you condense a life into a few paragraphs? How do you put into words what are only feelings? In his youth, Erich was "the one". You know, the one friend everyone had that was always there for you - no matter what. But his very essence, his life force, his light was constantly suffocated by an overbearing father. Many know how he loved his mother, dear sweet Eleanor. He was her protector. From day one he was dealt a bad hand. Born with a congenital birth defect of the aortic valve, he spent his entire life facing his mortality. The scars of his first open heart surgery at age 13 were more than just physical. As a child, pleasing his father and never wanting to be "the sick kid" made him into the man he was. A man whose unceasing drive made him the contractor he was. A man who only accepted perfect as the finished product. Even if perfect meant he would argue with everyone to the bitter end. But, in the end, we all knew he was right. Yet, above all the misery of his life, he managed to love and be loved by two women. He managed to keep his demons buried deep. He showed everyone he came in contact with what loyalty and respect really meant. He will be missed by everyone. His goofy smile and ridiculous infectious giggle will be remembered by many for years to come. Go forth, reminisce and laugh with friends. Share an Erich story about one of his many classic antics. Celebration of Erich's Life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday at Bohlender Funeral Chapel. Private Interment.