Eric J. Leja

ERIC J LEJA PASSED AWAY ON OCTOBER 12 AT 64 YEARS YOUNG. HE WAS SURROUNDED BY THE NATURAL WORLD HE LOVED SO MUCH, ON HIS HOME ISLAND OF NAHANT.
ERIC'S PASSIONS WERE MANY, BUT NATURE AND THE OCEAN FILLED HIS HEART AND GROWING UP IN NAHANT IT WAS HIS PLAYGROUND. AS A TEENAGER ERIC STARTED WORKING ON A LOBSTER BOAT, AND THAT WAS IT! HE WAS HOOKED. HE SPENT THE
NEXT 30 YEARS LOBSTERING ON AND OFF, FOR WORK OR FUN. ERIC LOVED NOTHING MORE THEN TO BE OUT ON THAT BOAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN. HIS JOY, WATCHING THE SUN RISE, THE BIRDS FLY, AND THE SWIRLING OCEAN TIDES, IT WAS HIS FAVORITE PLACE ON THIS EARTH.ERIC'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE OCEAN AND IT'S CREATURES WAS AS VAST AND WIDE AS THE OCEAN ITSELF. WEATHER. ERIC LOVED WEATHER, THE BIGGER THE STORM THE BETTER. HOPPING IN THE CAR TO WATCH THE OCEAN ROLLING IN, THE WAVES CRASHING AND SNOW BLOWING ALL AROUND HIM, AND THAT SMILE, THAT BIG BEAUTIFUL SMILE. HE LOVED ALL OF IT, IT FILLED HIS SOUL.
TO KNOW ERIC, SPORTS, MUST BE MENTIONED. HE LOVED ALL SPORTS BUT HOCKEY AND GOLF WERE HIS PASSIONS. ERIC WAS A STANDOUT HOCKEY PLAYER AT ST. MARY'S HIGH SCHOOL IN LYNN. ERIC WENT ON TO DENVER UNIVERSITY WHERE HE BECAME A PROUD MEMBER OF THE DENVER PIONEERS HOCKEY TEAM. HE GRADUATED IN 1983.
ERIC'S OTHER PASSIONS, HIS FRIENDS, HIS FAMILY, HE LOVED MUSIC AND HIS CATS. ERIC HAD A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR AND LOVED TO LAUGH, AND WE DID, A LOT. ALWAYS WITH THAT SMILE. HE CHERISHED HIS EARLY MORNING WALKS TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE SUNRISE, OR A RED TAILED HAWK OR ANYTHING THE EARTH HAD TO OFFER THAT DAY.
ERIC WAS AN INCREDIBLE HUMAN BEING, HE NEVER MET A STRANGER, ALWAYS KIND, POLITE, LIFTING OTHERS
UP WITH HIS HUGE HEART AND GENUINE SPIRIT. A TRUE GENTLE MAN. HE IS DEEPLY MISSED.
ERIC IS SURVIVED BY HIS LOVING WIFE OF 18 YEARS, JENNIFER M FINLEY. HIS BROTHERS FRANK C. LEJA AND GARY E LEJA. NIECE ALLISON KALE, NEPHEWS ZANDER AND ANTHONY LEJA, NEPHEWS ETHAN AND ALEX GOLDBERG. AND HIS BELOVED CAT, VINNY. HE ALSO LEAVES BEHIND MANY DEVOTED FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS.
ERIC'S LEGACY WILL BE ONE OF KINDNESS, ACCEPTANCE, LAUGHTER, LOVE AND RESPECT OF THE NATURAL WORLD, A CALM DEMEANOR, AND LOVE, ALWAYS LOVE. PASS IT ON, HE'D LIKE THAT.
A CELEBRATION OF LIFE WILL BE HELD IN HIS HONOR ON NOVEMBER 15, 12-4 AT THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 17 RELAY YARD, NAHANT 01908.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS THE FAMILY REQUESTS THAT DONATIONS BE MADE TO THE GLOUCESTER FISHERMAN WIVES ASSOCIATION IN HIS NAME.
ERIC LOVED THIS BEAUTIFUL EARTH AND ALL IT HAS TO OFFER IN IT'S SPECTACULAR BEAUTY, HE WAS SO GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF IT. WE WERE BLESSED TO HAVE HIM IN OUR LIVES.