Obituary: Eric Alan Beckman passed away Nov. 13, 2011 in Billings, following a year-long illness. Eric was born Jan. 6, 1971 in Missoula to the delight of his parents, Robert and Wilma Beckman, after a scary trip from Phillipsburg on icy roads. Several of his early childhood years were spent in Swaziland, Africa, where he attended school with many native and British students and learned to speak with a very British accent that he brought back to Montana with him. Coming home, the family finally settled in Bozeman, where Eric graduated from Bozeman High School in 1989. He continued on a Montana State University, and then joined the Army Reserve. While serving in the Arm Reserve, his education was interrupted while he served time in Desert Storm. He returned to Bozeman and finished college, graduating in 1995 with a degree in computer science. His first employment was with Anchor Gaming, where he had the pleasure of visiting and working Australia several times. At the time of his death, he was employed by Zoot Enterprises a software engineer. Eric's favorite pastimes were playing computer games with a group of friends on Thursday and Saturday nights. He was also an avid reader, and he loved hiking and exploring the area around Bozeman with his mom and dad. He had a very quick wit and a great sense of humor in a group setting, such as a family gathering. Eric was preceded in death by his father, Robert Beckman in 2009, also by both sets of grandparents. He is survived by his mother, Wilma (Pope) Beckman of Bozeman, his Uncle Wayne and Charlotte Beckman of Auburn, Washington; Aunt Maxine Beckman, also of Auburn Washington: Aunt Betty and Ben Hanson of Billings: Aunt Emma Beckman of Miles City, Auntie Bar and Butch Armstrong of Kalispell. Eric is also survived by numerous cousins and friends who will miss him greatly. A celebration of Eric's life will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov 18, at Bozeman Christian Reformed Church, following by a reception. – Article in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, MT November 17, 2011.