Eric Berlin

Eric Berlin was never a man with a grand plan. His life was guided by three things, his great faith, his great love, and his sense of right and wrong. He devoted his life to helping, to including, and improving the lives of others, from his beloved family to so many in his community. Eric never planned on becoming a great man; he strove only to be a good man, and succeeded at being both. Eric's story began on a hot summer day in 1953, in the bustling city of Cleveland, Ohio. Those were such turbulent times in this country, as the Cold War and the Red Scare continued, and racial tensions mounted across the country. Yet on July 23, 1953, Norman and Rose (Weiss) Berlin found reason for hope, with the birth of a baby boy, a son they named Eric. Eric joined his brother Steve in the family's home in Cleveland, where his father worked as a car salesman, selling Cadillacs. Eric loved the perks of his dad's job when he was a teenager, as he got to drive around a brand-new Caddy on occasion! The family did much together when the boys were young, including a memorable trip to Colonial Williamsburg. Eric's mother had four sisters in Cleveland, and he grew up very close to his extended family. They got together on the weekends and especially for the Jewish holidays. The family were faithful to their Judaism, and devoted members of the large Park Synagogue in Cleveland, where Eric had his Bar Mitzvah, on his 13th birthday in 1966. Eric and his brother were both athletically gifted young men, though very different in many other ways. Steve was gregarious and social, while Eric was more easygoing and reflective. His preference for contemplation led Eric to major in philosophy at Ohio University, in lovely Athens, Ohio, where he received his Bachelor's of Arts. In 1984, Eric's dad became very sick, and Eric went to visit him in the hospital. There he met a beautiful young nurse named Sharon Kruis, who had spotted the handsome Eric in the hallways. They had another chance encounter not long after, when they both showed up late (a habit they shared in common) for the same movie. Sharon asked if Eric would like to sit with her since she'd never find her friends in the darkened theater, he said yes, and the rest was history. They were inseparable ever since. They even watched the same film again in 2007 on their anniversary! Eric's father died later that year, and being the contemplative young man he was, he wanted a job that gave him meaning, where he could help others. He took a job in Columbus working with disabled adults, and devised a way they could find meaning in their lives. He started a shoe-shine business for them, each of them helping do their part. The business did well and even received attention from the media. Eric and Sharon continued their love affair, and moved to Detroit together when he decided to study for his Master's degree in Psychology at the Center for Humanistic Studies. After he graduated, he and Sharon were married, on December 12, 1987, in Detroit. The newlyweds soon moved to Muskegon, Michigan, where Eric took a job with Youth Services for the County of Muskegon. The couple rented at first but soon bought a home in the Montague-Whitehall area. It wasn't long before the newlyweds became parents, too, with their son Kyle born in June of 1988, and twin daughters Tess and Emily rounded out the family in September of 1990. Eric had never planned on having kids of his own, he admitted to his wife, but when they arrived, he was like "a kid with a new toy," Sharon recalls. As it turned out, Eric was a wonderful father, who doted on his children, and loved to play with them, read to them and simply be with them. He was such a calm and gentle presence in their lives, always supportive and encouraging. When they got older, Eric coached many of their sports teams, either serving as the actual coach or their personal instructor, teaching them the fundamentals of their sport. Eric had been an excellent baseball pitcher until he hurt his arm, so he preached proper form to his children. He remained very active in sports his whole life, playing tennis, racquetball, basketball, hiking and biking, and was excited to have his kids involved in sports, too. Eric was a tough coach, wanting the best from and for his children, but they always made him proud, win or lose. Eric also raised his children with the same devout faith in Judaism he grew up with, and Sharon even converted to Judaism because she felt it was important their children were raised in a home of one faith. The family went back to Cleveland often to celebrate the Jewish holidays with Grandma Rose, Uncle Steve and his family, everything from Hanukkah to Passover. Eric became very active in the Jewish community in Muskegon and served on the Board of Trustees at Temple B'Nai Israel. Eric's impact was felt in far more than Muskegon's Jewish community. He stayed at Youth Services of Muskegon County for 19 years, helping so many people in that time, and Eric also worked at Harbor Psychological Associates for many years. During his career in Muskegon, he helped many in his community, and was a tireless champion of causes for the underprivileged and needy. Eric had many other interests, and was a voracious reader. He even started writing a book of his own on Environmental Psychology. Sadly, Eric died on Saturday, June 9, 2007, at the age of 53. Eric was a remarkable man, who led a remarkable life, a life of faith, of service, and of family. He was a beloved husband, father, brother and friend, who devoted his life to making the lives better of those around him. Eric never planned on becoming a great man, only a good man, but to those lucky enough to know him, he will forever be both. Eric is survived by his wife of 19 years, Sharon Ann Berlin; son, Kyle L. Berlin; 2 daughters, Tess N. & Emily J. Berlin; mother, Rose Berlin of Beachwood, OH; mother-in-law, Rosetta Kruis of Aurora, OH; brother, Steve (Mary) Berlin of Solon, OH; sister-in-law, Linda (Steve) Groman of Conroe, TX; 4 brothers-in-law, Rick (Lynn) Kruis of Hiram, OH, John (Debbie) Kruis of Mantua, OH, Bill (Sue) Kruis of Mantua, OH & Jim (Diane) Kruis of Mantua, OH; many nieces & nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Norman and father-in-law, Richard Kruis. Services are Wednesday, June 13, 2007, 1:00 PM, at Temple B'Nai Israel with Rabbi Alan Alpert officiating. Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, 1 hour prior to the service at Temple B'Nai Israel, 391 W. Webster Ave. in Muskegon, Michigan. Burial will take place at Bet Olam Cemetery, in Beachwood, Ohio, on Friday, June 15, 2007, 2:00 PM, with Rabbi Sharon Marcus officiating. MEMORIAL: In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the Eric B. Berlin Memorial Fund, c/o The Community Foundation for Muskegon County, 425 W. Webster, Muskegon, MI 49441.