Eric was born on February 19th, 1967 in Tucson Arizona. He was the youngest of four children. He was a lifelong Tucsonan and loved living there.
Eric went to Robison Elementary School then attended Palo Verde Christian School, where he was saved at age 11. He attended the Tucson Baptist Temple throughout his young adult years.
From an early age, Eric loved music. When he was still very small, he would sit in his sister Lona's bedroom and listen to music she played him. He remembered the songs his whole life. "Here's to You" by Hamilton Camp, "Green Tambourine" by the Lemon Pipers and so many others.
His love of music led Eric to get piano lessons. His teacher was Ron DeSchalit, who would come over early in the morning for the lessons. One song Eric learned to play was Guantanamera. He practiced that song over and over and over and over again.
Another benefit Eric had to the piano lessons was learning to read music. He could pick up a piece of music, sight read it and sing it. Eric had a beautiful singing voice and perfect pitch. Perfect pitch meant that he could identify and sing any musical note. This came in handy when Eric joined the choir at Tucson High. Some of his fondest memories were with the Tucson High Troubadors led by Mr. Hughes and later Mr. Owens. Eric felt like he was part of a musical family and cherished his days with the choir. Several of his Facebook friends were fellow choir members he had reconnected with in recent years.
Eric's love of music became the original focal point of his education. His intention was to get a degree in music, maybe become a choir director at a high school. But early on, Eric changed gears and decided he wanted to pursue an education that would help those with mental and emotional health problems.
He attended the University of Arizona and NAU and received a master's Degree in Education with an emphasis on counseling. His places of work included Pueblo Court with La Frontera, the Children's Home and Codac Behavioral health.
Eric's helping people extended to his personal life. He was a proud card carrying organ donor.
Eric was also a collector. His range of interests stretched from the musical group the Monkees to old soda pop bottles. However his favorite hobby was collecting Judy Garland memorabilia. Eric's Garland collection was accumulated over several years and included posters, albums, videos and autographs.He was very proud of his collection and some of his pieces were used in several book and CD releases.
Some interesting facts about Eric:
His nicknames included Half Pint, Pint, Peenta Pie, Harry James, EEE-Rock, Rock of E,
When he was a Cub Scout, he placed first at the Pine Wood Derby. The following year he place third and was very upset about it.
At one time he owned a little blue Corvair.
Some of his favorite TV shows were GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, THAT GIRL and THE MONKEES. His high school friends teased him about watching Lawrence Welk on Saturday nights with his parents.
He loved old nostalgic places in Tucson such as Magic Carpet Golf, the Fox Theater, drive in movies.
He loved Shari's drive-in hamburgers and pizza with sausage and mushrooms.
He once made his own home movie version of the Exorcist starring his year old niece Melanie.
Eric was a cousin, nephew, uncle, brother and son.
Eric went to Robison Elementary School then attended Palo Verde Christian School, where he was saved at age 11. He attended the Tucson Baptist Temple throughout his young adult years.
From an early age, Eric loved music. When he was still very small, he would sit in his sister Lona's bedroom and listen to music she played him. He remembered the songs his whole life. "Here's to You" by Hamilton Camp, "Green Tambourine" by the Lemon Pipers and so many others.
His love of music led Eric to get piano lessons. His teacher was Ron DeSchalit, who would come over early in the morning for the lessons. One song Eric learned to play was Guantanamera. He practiced that song over and over and over and over again.
Another benefit Eric had to the piano lessons was learning to read music. He could pick up a piece of music, sight read it and sing it. Eric had a beautiful singing voice and perfect pitch. Perfect pitch meant that he could identify and sing any musical note. This came in handy when Eric joined the choir at Tucson High. Some of his fondest memories were with the Tucson High Troubadors led by Mr. Hughes and later Mr. Owens. Eric felt like he was part of a musical family and cherished his days with the choir. Several of his Facebook friends were fellow choir members he had reconnected with in recent years.
Eric's love of music became the original focal point of his education. His intention was to get a degree in music, maybe become a choir director at a high school. But early on, Eric changed gears and decided he wanted to pursue an education that would help those with mental and emotional health problems.
He attended the University of Arizona and NAU and received a master's Degree in Education with an emphasis on counseling. His places of work included Pueblo Court with La Frontera, the Children's Home and Codac Behavioral health.
Eric's helping people extended to his personal life. He was a proud card carrying organ donor.
Eric was also a collector. His range of interests stretched from the musical group the Monkees to old soda pop bottles. However his favorite hobby was collecting Judy Garland memorabilia. Eric's Garland collection was accumulated over several years and included posters, albums, videos and autographs.He was very proud of his collection and some of his pieces were used in several book and CD releases.
Some interesting facts about Eric:
His nicknames included Half Pint, Pint, Peenta Pie, Harry James, EEE-Rock, Rock of E,
When he was a Cub Scout, he placed first at the Pine Wood Derby. The following year he place third and was very upset about it.
At one time he owned a little blue Corvair.
Some of his favorite TV shows were GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, THAT GIRL and THE MONKEES. His high school friends teased him about watching Lawrence Welk on Saturday nights with his parents.
He loved old nostalgic places in Tucson such as Magic Carpet Golf, the Fox Theater, drive in movies.
He loved Shari's drive-in hamburgers and pizza with sausage and mushrooms.
He once made his own home movie version of the Exorcist starring his year old niece Melanie.
Eric was a cousin, nephew, uncle, brother and son.
Eric was born on February 19th, 1967 in Tucson Arizona. He was the youngest of four children. He was a lifelong Tucsonan and loved living there.
Eric went to Robison Elementary School then attended Palo Verde Christian School, where he was saved at age 11. He attended the Tucson Baptist Temple throughout his young adult years.
From an early age, Eric loved music. When he was still very small, he would sit in his sister Lona's bedroom and listen to music she played him. He remembered the songs his whole life. "Here's to You" by Hamilton Camp, "Green Tambourine" by the Lemon Pipers and so many others.
His love of music led Eric to get piano lessons. His teacher was Ron DeSchalit, who would come over early in the morning for the lessons. One song Eric learned to play was Guantanamera. He practiced that song over and over and over and over again.
Another benefit Eric had to the piano lessons was learning to read music. He could pick up a piece of music, sight read it and sing it. Eric had a beautiful singing voice and perfect pitch. Perfect pitch meant that he could identify and sing any musical note. This came in handy when Eric joined the choir at Tucson High. Some of his fondest memories were with the Tucson High Troubadors led by Mr. Hughes and later Mr. Owens. Eric felt like he was part of a musical family and cherished his days with the choir. Several of his Facebook friends were fellow choir members he had reconnected with in recent years.
Eric's love of music became the original focal point of his education. His intention was to get a degree in music, maybe become a choir director at a high school. But early on, Eric changed gears and decided he wanted to pursue an education that would help those with mental and emotional health problems.
He attended the University of Arizona and NAU and received a master's Degree in Education with an emphasis on counseling. His places of work included Pueblo Court with La Frontera, the Children's Home and Codac Behavioral health.
Eric's helping people extended to his personal life. He was a proud card carrying organ donor.
Eric was also a collector. His range of interests stretched from the musical group the Monkees to old soda pop bottles. However his favorite hobby was collecting Judy Garland memorabilia. Eric's Garland collection was accumulated over several years and included posters, albums, videos and autographs.He was very proud of his collection and some of his pieces were used in several book and CD releases.
Some interesting facts about Eric:
His nicknames included Half Pint, Pint, Peenta Pie, Harry James, EEE-Rock, Rock of E,
When he was a Cub Scout, he placed first at the Pine Wood Derby. The following year he place third and was very upset about it.
At one time he owned a little blue Corvair.
Some of his favorite TV shows were GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, THAT GIRL and THE MONKEES. His high school friends teased him about watching Lawrence Welk on Saturday nights with his parents.
He loved old nostalgic places in Tucson such as Magic Carpet Golf, the Fox Theater, drive in movies.
He loved Shari's drive-in hamburgers and pizza with sausage and mushrooms.
He once made his own home movie version of the Exorcist starring his year old niece Melanie.
Eric was a cousin, nephew, uncle, brother and son.
Eric went to Robison Elementary School then attended Palo Verde Christian School, where he was saved at age 11. He attended the Tucson Baptist Temple throughout his young adult years.
From an early age, Eric loved music. When he was still very small, he would sit in his sister Lona's bedroom and listen to music she played him. He remembered the songs his whole life. "Here's to You" by Hamilton Camp, "Green Tambourine" by the Lemon Pipers and so many others.
His love of music led Eric to get piano lessons. His teacher was Ron DeSchalit, who would come over early in the morning for the lessons. One song Eric learned to play was Guantanamera. He practiced that song over and over and over and over again.
Another benefit Eric had to the piano lessons was learning to read music. He could pick up a piece of music, sight read it and sing it. Eric had a beautiful singing voice and perfect pitch. Perfect pitch meant that he could identify and sing any musical note. This came in handy when Eric joined the choir at Tucson High. Some of his fondest memories were with the Tucson High Troubadors led by Mr. Hughes and later Mr. Owens. Eric felt like he was part of a musical family and cherished his days with the choir. Several of his Facebook friends were fellow choir members he had reconnected with in recent years.
Eric's love of music became the original focal point of his education. His intention was to get a degree in music, maybe become a choir director at a high school. But early on, Eric changed gears and decided he wanted to pursue an education that would help those with mental and emotional health problems.
He attended the University of Arizona and NAU and received a master's Degree in Education with an emphasis on counseling. His places of work included Pueblo Court with La Frontera, the Children's Home and Codac Behavioral health.
Eric's helping people extended to his personal life. He was a proud card carrying organ donor.
Eric was also a collector. His range of interests stretched from the musical group the Monkees to old soda pop bottles. However his favorite hobby was collecting Judy Garland memorabilia. Eric's Garland collection was accumulated over several years and included posters, albums, videos and autographs.He was very proud of his collection and some of his pieces were used in several book and CD releases.
Some interesting facts about Eric:
His nicknames included Half Pint, Pint, Peenta Pie, Harry James, EEE-Rock, Rock of E,
When he was a Cub Scout, he placed first at the Pine Wood Derby. The following year he place third and was very upset about it.
At one time he owned a little blue Corvair.
Some of his favorite TV shows were GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, THAT GIRL and THE MONKEES. His high school friends teased him about watching Lawrence Welk on Saturday nights with his parents.
He loved old nostalgic places in Tucson such as Magic Carpet Golf, the Fox Theater, drive in movies.
He loved Shari's drive-in hamburgers and pizza with sausage and mushrooms.
He once made his own home movie version of the Exorcist starring his year old niece Melanie.
Eric was a cousin, nephew, uncle, brother and son.
Inscription
In God's Care
W. ERIC HEMPHILL
FEB. 19. 1967 – FEB. 6. 2012
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