From Dale Touchette, Eric's Dad

Russ

Sat. the 21st we had a memorial service for Eric. About 80 people attended the service at St Dominics church and had a little lunch after served by the church ladies. Later in the afternoon we buried the ashes next to his mother, with only family members. Kay
supplied a big beautiful urn that I have now in my home. Neil made a really nice box for the burial. I framed the picture you sent and had it in front of the urn during the service.

Hope you are well

Dale

Mandy Remembers A Song

...he used to played this song to me for years....
i think he'll want us to think like the lyrics too ...



you think i'd leave your side baby
you know me better than that
you think i'd leave you down when you're down on your knees
i wouldn't do that
i'll tell you you're right when you want
ha ah ah ah ah ah
and if only you could see into me

oh when you're cold
i'll be there
hold you tight to me

when you're on the outside baby and you can`t get in
i will show you you're so much better than you know
when you're lost and you're alone and you cant get back again
i will find you darling and i will bring you home

and if you want to cry
i am here to dry your eyes
and in no time
you'll be fine

you think i'd leave your side baby
you know me better than that
you think id leave you down when you're down on your knees
i wouldn't do that
i'll tell you you're right when you (want)*******
ha ah ah ah ah ah
and if only you could see into me

oh when you're cold
i'll be there
hold you tight to me
when you're low
i'll be there
by your side baby

oh when you're cold
i'll be there
hold you tight to me
oh when you're low
i'll be there
by your side baby

From Dale Binkley

Dear Russ and all Eric's Friends,

Thank you so much, Russ, for posting the blog and for everyone's remembrances of Eric. Most of you don't know or remember me, Dale Binkley. I knew Eric from the early days in Taiwan. I left Taiwan in April of 1984 and have never been back. I now find myself deeply regretting that I never visited Eric during the intervening years. I was fortunate enough to hook up with him through Brent and see him a few times when he was visiting the SF Bay Area over the years.

I am having great difficulty coming to grips with Eric's passing. One always thinks one will have more time and then death comes and it's so final. There are so many questions I have and so many things I wish I could discuss with him. I am constantly reminded of his influence on my life from the things I eat like spirulina, chlorella, mushrooms, and seed cheeses, to tips and things he gave me for working out, a set of mother-of-pearl inlaid ebony swords, and a great lacquerware art piece I treasure. The greatest gift of all was his gift of philosophical ideas which continue to shape my thought.

When I think about Eric I think of a searcher. We spent many hours discussing the meaning of life, if you will, and hashing out how we could become superbeings. I eventually compromised, returned to the States, got married and had a child. Eric never did compromise and never did stop searching. To me he will always represent a man who stuck to his ideals and pursued physical and psychological development passionately and with great vigor. That's what saddens and scares me about Eric's passing. I think to myself, if someone as strong in body and spirit like Eric can go so soon and so suddenly, I too could go anytime. It really brings home my own mortality in a chilling way, but it also makes me want to slap myself and say, "Get up and get moving. Make something of your life while you still can for time is a fickle and fleeting attendant that can turn its back on you at any moment."

I'm working my way out of this depressing quagmire by drawing inspiration from Eric. It is uplifting to see the video of him working out on his deck. It makes me want to pursue with renewed vigor the path that Eric blazed. He may be gone but his spirit and inspiration live on in all of us who knew and loved him. Eric lives on in my thoughts, my dreams, and the life lessons I will also teach my son to carry on.

With great thanks and humility,
in Eric's loving memory,
Dale

From Joyce Chang.

Thanks for writing blog for our best friend, Eric. I'm Joyce Chang who had worked with Eric in English school since 1987. He was a great co-worker, enjoyed teaching to children, and tried hard to trick them to fall in love with English. His passion for teaching made him the most popular teacher in my school. Indeed, it was always pleasant to work with him.

Obituary for Eric from the Benson & Langehough Funeral Home

Eric Touchette

Date of birth: Fri, 10/24/1958
Date of death: Mon, 07/26/2010
Funeral: 08/21/2010 - 11:00 am

Eric Dale Touchette was born October 24, 1958, in Belleville, Illinois, to Dale and Ann (Ping) Touchette. As a child, he lived with his family in Philadelphia, Duluth and Crown Point, Indiana until moving to Northfield in 1969. He graduated from Northfield High School in 1976 and attended the University of Minnesota. In 1979, he moved to Taiwan and began his career as an English teacher and interpreter. Eric enjoyed teaching and mentoring young people. He immersed himself in the culture, learning everything he could about alternative healing, diet, Pa Gua, Ch’i Kung, the yoga hammock and the principles of I Ching.

Eric passed away unexpectedly on Monday, July 26, 2010, in Taipei, Taiwan, at the age of 51.

Survivors include his father, Dale Touchette of Northfield; 2 sisters: Barbara Seacord of Minnetonka, Kay Touchette of Chanhassen; his brother and sister-in-law, Neil and Gretchen of Northfield; 2 nephews and 2 nieces, Beau Bye, Alison Seacord, Grace and Nick Touchette; uncles, aunts, and other friends and relatives who reside around the world. He was preceded in death by his mother on February 27, 2006.

St. Dominic’s Catholic Church will host funeral services at 11AM Saturday, August 21, 2010, with lunch to follow.

Memorial contributions may be made in Eric's memory to the American Heart Association.

Arrangements are Benson & Langehough Funeral Home.

http://www.bensonfuneral.com/obituary/eric-touchette

July 18, 1999

Photo I took of Eric in my apartment on July 18, 1999.

Ascend My Friend

I've tried many times to write, each time I broke apart. So now I write while I break apart again.

This time I will meet with success.

My dear friend ascend,

To the delights you have expected

Eternal youth, from the spirit energy we so fondly spoke of.

Your mind has seen the vibrations of the universe

Your soul has felt the spirit of truth and in love you seek the truth, the truth seeker that you are.

How I pray for you to find the personal Deity,

That so many times I could not convince you of,

The Father of Light & Love, that burns in me and all His children

To my friends I will not say "rest in peace",

My heaven is not a one step to moments of laid back bliss,

But a never-ending pursuit of experiential sharing of love.

My friend Ascend, Eric.

Video Memorial from Mandy - For My Dearest Eric

Higher and Higher

I am convinced and comforted by my deep faith in things spiritual.

I believe we all have a spirit of God within.

I believe that this same spirit is eternal, like the Creator.

It resides in all of us.

Effortlessly.

Breathing. In and Out.

Providing Inspiration.

Providing Companionship and Guidance.

Believing in God has its benefits.

It assumes intelligently or ignorantly,

That That which we are part of is the Eternal Source of All That Is.

And being naturally... at One with the Source,

we are immortal.

I came to know all this through Faith.

A very difficult path, Faith is.

Believing without Seeing.

Trusting without Proof.

And so it is.

I believe Eric indeed had a spiritual fragment of God within him.

And, as a part of God's creation, he is also beautifully eternal.

Regardless of Eric's own beliefs in God or non-belief in God.

I am comforted in having a deep and honest understanding

that Eric has preceded us in the greatest adventure of time,

...the Quest

for Truth, Beauty and Goodness.

...even for God.

For now we also can also be comforted by our gentle memories

of Eric as friend, lover, sibling or son.

It's difficult now.

Eric is more in my mind at the moment than when he was alive.

But that helps light the flame of awareness about him.

Which will help to Illuminate his Way.

Even if you don't believe in God and Eternal Life as I do.

Grant me a moment of your suspension of belief and believe with me.

Be Here Now!

And know that Eric would want us to be happy

...and not fretting too much about him.

He would want us to celebrate our own lives

with graciousness and appreciation,

and raise a toast to him as occasion suggests.

Om Mani Padme Hum!

(Oh Hail to the One Born in the Lotus!)

-rm

Memorial Art from Michael Workman

Some Family Pictures

Eric as the stagecoach driver

Mid 1980's

Family of Russian Spy Children
Barb, Kay, Neil, Eric

Eric's First Day of School

Mom, Eric, Kay, and Neil

Eric, Kay and Barb - Eric is about 4 years old.

Blessings from Kip (林海)

Thanks for the email. I had to read it through a couple of times just to digest it all. Eric called me when he came to the States and thought that he might visit me in NYC and then I didn't hear from him again. He was a great Breather. The world will miss him.

Eric especially was someone who really appreciated breathing and I love people who really know how to appreciate the breath. He was totally committed to the breath and I'm sure it is helping him in the in-between state that he is in now. For his transference of consciousness the highest potential is usually at the time of death, the day of his death, the third day of his death, the seventh day of his death and every seventh days for forty nine days total. He died last Monday and coincidentally we have a puja this Monday in which I will add the transference of consciousness ceremony for him. I'll be leaving for Lhasa right after the ceremony. I'll try to do it every Monday that I can until the 49th, if possible. I'll be going back to Beijing, Lhasa, and Emei Mountain and will include Eric in on whatever appropriate ceremonies that we will be hosting and performing up there. May his rebirth be auspicious!

That's a nice blog. I don't know how to write on it but if you could post for me, or mention to the people who know how to recite the Hundred Syllable Prayer and or Amitabha for Eric every Monday until Sept. 13, it would be quite auspicious for him.

Amituofo,

Kip