Eric P. Stocker

With profound sadness we announce the unexpected passing of Eric Stocker, a loving and devoted father, dearest partner, and amazing friend to many whose lives he deeply touched. Eric left us on December 28, 2020 while cycling through the desert mountains of Usery Mountain Regional Park in Mesa, Arizona. He was 56 years old. A longtime resident of San Mateo, California, Eric was born on January 7, 1964 in Pasadena, California. He was raised in Littleton, Colorado, attended Columbine High School and studied at Colorado State University where he achieved a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Santa Clara and an MBA in Finance from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Eric will be lovingly remembered by his cherished children: Blake, Lydia, and Ayla; his partner of almost 13 years, Colette De Benedetti (and her son Matthew); his father, Robert Stocker; brother, John (Malina) Stocker; brother, Bradley (Robin Smallwood) Stocker; sister, Paula (Jim) Thomaselli; as well as the mother to his children, Laura Obregon, and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. He is preceded in death by mother, Ann (Smuligo) Stocker. He will also be dearly missed by the many friends and colleagues he had throughout the world. First and foremost, Eric was a dedicated father and loved his children so much and was immensely proud of them. He spent time with his kids in many ways from teaching and sharing his love of building with Blake; traveling with Lydia, whether it be to a fancy hotel in San Francisco for a birthday or hiking and kayaking in Montana; watching Ayla create beautiful pieces of art on the loom and tufting frame that he made as well as her paintings and pottery projects; and trying to start a campfire with Matt using only a flint or discovering new dirt roads to drive on. Traveling with his family, near or far, he always encouraged them to embrace eating the local foods and experience the local culture. He enjoyed building them everything from beds, desks, clothing racks, and art supplies. He was always encouraging his children to work hard, live their dreams and to never be afraid; a legacy that will live on through them. Eric was a Senior Director of Risk Management at Gilead Sciences, where his expertise directly contributed to the protection and preservation of the human, physical, and financial assets of the company. Through his leadership, inspiration and generosity, Eric's impact extended beyond the borders of the office and into the personal lives of many of his colleagues throughout his career. This impact was felt throughout his entire career which started in 1988, when Eric moved from Colorado to the San Francisco Bay Area with Factory Mutual Engineering (now FM Global) as a fire protection engineer and boiler and machinery loss prevention specialist. After several years of consulting experience in a variety of business sectors, Eric joined Alexander & Alexander as a property risk management consultant; then later, joined National Semiconductor to work with the company's corporate risk management team. Returning to California from Boulder, Eric continued his career in risk management, working as a consultant for Aon Risk Solutions which in short order, led Eric to a corporate risk management position with the pioneering biopharmaceutical company Genentech. Eric immensely enjoyed his work with Genentech, focusing his efforts on property risk engineering and risk modeling, before landing at Gilead Sciences in 2015. Eric was an accomplished athlete and excelled at almost every sport he tried. His first love was skiing, and he grew up honing his skills on the slopes of the Colorado mountains. Skills leveraged throughout his life challenged him to ski the most challenging terrain globally – some of which was only accessible by helicopter or Snow Cat. In college, he took up weightlifting and was committed to becoming the biggest and strongest person. Eric was too tall, and his arms and legs were far too long, yet through hard work and determination, he became quite successful, posting competitive lifts more than 500 lbs. in both the squat and deadlift. After college, Eric moved to Northern California, where naturally he had to take up surfing – both wind and traditional. Eric became an outstanding wind surfer and was a regular among the experts skimming the San Francisco Bay. He also took to traditional surfing quickly, catching a wave on his very first attempt! It was living in Northern California that Eric discovered his passion for cycling. As was his nature, he set out to conquer the most difficult, grueling rides he could find. The list of rides he completed includes: The Triple Bypass – a 100-mile ride over three mountain passes in Colorado, reaching elevations more than 12,000 ft. The Mount Tam Double (completed twice) is a 200-mile ride in Marin County, including an arduous climb up Mt Tam. The California Death Ride (completed 10+ times) is a 127-mile over five mountain passes. The Mt Diablo Challenge (completed twice) an 11-mile, 3,200 ft. climb up Mt Diablo in Northern CA. The Paris Roubaix (completed twice) is one of cycling's most famous classics and is over one hundred miles long, with roughly a third of those miles over unforgiving cobblestone. The Etape du Tour (completed twice), an annual event where amateur cyclists ride the most challenging stage of that year's Tour de France. Perhaps his most outstanding cycling achievement, and the one he was the proudest of, was a team member who placed third in the 2010 Race Across America (RAAM), completing the 3,000-mile coast-to-coast journey in 6 days, 6 hours, and 44 minutes. RAAM allowed Eric to leverage his strengths as an individual cyclist and an integral member of a team. Individually, he was able to test himself by enduring extreme suffering and danger riding through the blazing heat of the California desert and the sleet and snow in Colorado's mountains. He always said that few experiences made him feel more alive than descending a mountain pass at midnight at 50 mph with a chase car on your back wheel when an elk jumps into your path. The team element of RAAM allowed Eric's personality of a leader, motivator, and caregiver to shine. He drove team members to be better than they thought they could be - a gift he shared with those in his athletic life, work-life, and personal life equally. Eric approached athletics the same way he lived – give 100%, enjoy the experience, and complete the objective. In addition to his love of sports, Eric enjoyed traveling and taking off-road excursions with family and friends in his beloved RAM 2500 truck, woodworking and building, cooking, baking for neighbors and friends, enjoying fine foods, beverages and laughs with family, friends, and business associates. Eric was Colette's rock and best friend, as she was his. They loved traveling and sharing adventures and had many unforgettable trips together. He especially appreciated going for long drives with her along the coast and through the roads he loved cycling on. He equally loved quiet evenings together at home, dreaming of their future and planning their next adventure. For those who knew Eric, he lived life to the fullest. His generosity knew no bounds and he was an inspiration and model for all to strive and become the best of their abilities. Eric is sadly missed but will forever live in our thoughts and hearts. A memorial service in honor of Eric will be held at a later date.