Wm. Eric Roediger

If indeed all the world is a stage and we are merely players, Wm. Eric Roediger started as the star of the show on May 21,1977. His parents were his first captive audience who stayed up for 9 months, as he was most likely allergic to milk. This did not deter him from a childhood filled with dramatic roles on and off the stage, including one he was most proud of: George Bailey in “It's a Wonderful Life”. He was involved in many other plays before graduating from Mayfield High School in 1995. At Ohio University, Eric channeled his love of movies towards an official education with a degree in Video Communications. While acquiring that piece of paper which gave him opportunities for so many editing jobs, he created and solidified relationships with his best friends and the love of his life. In 2004, he and "Mickey" married and started an adventure that took him to Chicago, across the U.S. and into the heart of New York City. His first step away from home was when he secured the role of William Barfee in the “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” in Chicago. He was so thankful for all of the friends and family who saw the show there. Between that show and a tour he did for the next year-and-a-half, he made connections with people that would last a lifetime. After the tour, he and Michelle decided to travel to NYC with their beloved dog, Scudder, for their next adventure. Eric worked his way from terribly paid intern up to a professional motion graphics editor for movies and television. He gathered amazingly talented friends along the way. Some of his favorite memories were with a group lovingly referred to as "The Bastards" for Thanksgivings and birthdays. He also made sacred visits to Pelee Island, which eventually became an annual vacation week with some of his closest friends and family. During their time in NYC, Eric was cast in his absolute favorite role, “Dad”. Despite the stories of picking on his little sisters, he was the most amazing father to Julie and he loved watching her learn and grow. One of Eric's superpowers was to dig into any topic that he needed to learn more about. When he wanted to make fire appear in one of his video projects, he would take classes and watch instructional videos. He did all that he could do to arm himself with knowledge before tackling the challenge. He had such a thirst for cutting edge technology that could help him grow his skills. Eric loved to make people laugh. From the crass to the heartfelt, he could compose jokes and stories that made people stay engaged and want to find out the ending. He could read a room and get a crowd on-board with a tone that always echoed sincerity. Headstrong and opinionated, he made his stances known, but always made clear who was special in his life. In addition to his love of movies and theater, he was a huge fan of comic books, comedians and even zombies. The kid inside never let go of his love of Legos, Spiderman and the age old clashes between superheroes and supervillains. He also loved all kinds of music, especially Billy Joel, and found solace in playing guitar. No one would ever call Eric an athlete and often spoke of his Little League career being spent with his glove on his head and watching the highway instead of the game. Baseball wasn't his sport but it turns out he was a fighter. Not just a fighter but a stronger fighter than anyone anticipated. He faced many setbacks and unique challenges as he took on a rare form of Leukemia during a pandemic and never accepted defeat. Instead he stepped into the ring for every round and threw every punch he had in him with his dedicated wife coaching from the side for 2 years. He appreciated all of his fans cheering him on and showing support from the sidelines. The final scene of his story played out early on June 22, 2022. He left this world being comforted by his wife and looking at pictures of all those that loved him. To carry on his stories, love and experiences, he leaves behind his beloved parents, Darcy and Bill Roediger, his in-laws Teresa, Jim and Dan Celek, his amazingly supportive sister, Courtney Roediger Logan, and sister Kristin Eskew, his nephews and fellow Spiderman enthusiasts Mitchell and Wm. Fletcher Logan, his brothers by choice Rob, Doug, Matt, and John, his daughter Julie Parker Roediger whom he loved more than anything, and his best friend and wife, Michelle Roediger. The family will receive friends to celebrate Eric’s life from 2-5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at the Brunner Sanden Deitrick Funeral Home, 8466 Mentor Ave., Mentor, OH 44060. To conclude the gathering, the family will share special memories of Eric. Please wear something that will honor Eric's passions or whatever makes you comfortable. In lieu of flowers and in honor of Eric, the family requests that you sign up for potential bone marrow donation at Be The Match (bethematch.org) and send contributions to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (givenow.lls.org/). Please offer condolences at www.brunners.com

Wm. Eric Roediger

May 21, 1977 - June 22, 2022