Erik Sandberg-Diment

1940 - 2018

Erik Sandberg-Diment, age 78, of Hampton Connecticut, passed away at home on May 23, 2018. Born on January 29, 1940 in Stockholm, Sweden, he moved to Newark NJ when he was ten. After attending the College of Wooster Ohio and graduating with a degree in Psychology, he moved with his wife Susan to New York City with the hope of becoming a writer. Never letting a fear of failure stop him he ceaselessly pursued his goal; over 50 rejection slips from newspapers, magazines and publishers papered the walls of the one room apartment before he finally published for the first time. In 1975 he moved to Hampton, CT with his wife and children. A writer, he was never found without a piece of narrow-lined yellow paper and a pen for the thoughts and ideas that constantly erupted from his mind and eventually found their way into countless books and articles as well as into myriads of letters and emails to family and friends. He wrote under several pseudonyms, including Richard W. Langer and Thomas Tilling, publishing many books in addition to being a long-standing columnist at the New York Times. An artist, his paintings are a true representation of his spirt; large, bold, vibrant, energetic and sometimes chaotic and certainly in their later years never square or rectangle. He didn't like boxes and rebelled against the conventional dimensions of what art "should be". Trapezoids, squiggles, triangles; searching out shapes that would not confine the picture. An entrepreneur, in his later years he was the president of a screw and rivet manufacturing company which grew out of a conversation over a cup of coffee during an impulsively taken welding class. His life was dotted with occasional patent filings for the ideas which he deemed worthy of the involved paperwork. A friend, he will be missed by many. Recognized by his trademark wide-brimmed black hat, Erik was an adventurer who loved to travel, often showing up on relatives' and friends' doorsteps with flowers or fresh baked cardamon bread. He was looking for people with whom to share life's adventure and he thrived on creating memorable moments of joy. A father, he meant more than words can possibly express. Erik lived fully up until the very end; an unfinished short story was on his desk and postcards for his latest art show were ready to be mailed out. He is survived by his former wife Susan McNeill, his three children Genevieve, Tanya and Revell as well as countless friends who shared his life and were an integral part of the beautiful life tapestry he wove. He is missed but his spirit lives on. A gathering of friends will be held at Erik's home.