Obituary of Eric Alan Coles

Private Immediate service only at this time. Eric Alan Coles, born March 5th, 1958, died April 3rd, 2020. Beloved husband of Eileen Coles, devoted father of Riana Coles and Marguerite Coles, well-loved son of Margaret and Perry Coles (deceased), dear brother to Andrea Horncastle and well regarded uncle to Alan Horncastle. At the age of 11 Eric decided to become a martial artist, choosing classical fencing for his preferred Western style and Okinawan Kenpo Karate for his preferred Eastern style. He became extremely proficient in these and many other styles, finally settling on Lama Pai Kung Fu for his favorite Eastern style. Eric had the honor to study Lama Pai under revered Grand Master Sifu Chan Tai San. As a classical fencer, he studied under the well known Prussian Maître d’Armes Frederick Rohdes, with his core style being French foil. Eric’s proficiency in all martial arts to which he turned his hand was greatly respected. He approached all such studies with discipline, responsibility, extreme modesty, and the meticulous sense of honor that permeated all of his endeavors. For all that he enjoyed a good fight and was quite capable of fearsome feats of defense in any serious encounter, he brought a sense of merriment and fun into the combat lists, always with a smile and a willingness to share a drink afterwards with his friends. At the age of 17, with full permission from his (Army) Father and his (WAVES/Navy) Mother, Eric voluntarily enlisted in the US Marine Corps. The Vietnam War ended in April 1975 while he was still in Basic Training. Fresh out of high school and otherwise unskilled, the Corps made him a cook. It came to light that Eric could do the kind of lightning mathematics in his head that made it easy to calculate timing and supply purchases to feed a thousand men with a staff of three. He graduated third in his class and had his pick of duty stations. He chose Okinawa, where he had great fun testing his Kenpo skills against certain locals in back alleys, earning his Expert Marksman badge with his other free time. He also served at Camp Pendleton and a short stint in Panama during his tour of duty. It was in Panama that he defended a young woman he was escorting home against six men with knives, prevailing against them. After this event, Eric made it a personal priority throughout his life to offer free rudimentary self defense classes to any and all women who would ask. In one case this ended up saving the life of an adopted daughter, Carmen. Eric earned an honorable discharge with the rank of Sergeant. My husband and I met at Fordham University, where he was initially studying biology and had joined their Army ROTC program. Eric’s brilliance was by then manifesting; and I was fascinated by his martial arts skills, his well-read love for science fiction and fantasy, and his enjoyment of Dungeons and Dragons. Eric was not just content to play these games – he ran them with a consummate skill that came from his eidetic memory. The amazing capability to familiarize himself with a gaming system by memorizing the entire manual in one reading would also later serve him well in his careers as a law student at New York Law School, an accountant who graduated Baruch Cum Laude, and eventually the Database Administrator for Columbia University’s Sponsored Projects Administration research department. Circumstances separated us at Fordham and I spent the next 20 years looking for someone exactly like him. Eventually I found that someone – it was himself, accept no substitute. We were eventually married on the 5th of May, 2002. Eric and I practice Asatru and our wedding was in the Heathen tradition. As an aficianado of the sword, the warrior lifestyle and also a great respect for the law from the beginning, Eric was very much a Tyr’s man but also had a great affinity for Odin. Eric developed many friendships and a reputation for prowess throughout a decades-spanning attachment to NYC local historical re-enactment groups, where he could safely compete and exercise his skills in swordplay. He was a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, the Medieval Studies and Recreation / Kingdom of Acre, and Historic Arms, holding a Knighthood in the latter two groups. He could be seen sword in hand at many public demos, renaissance faires and private events. While he enjoyed many of the various martial activities, his first love was always fencing. Eric enjoyed an equal reputation for competence and trustworthiness at Columbia University. His over 25 year career as an Accountant and Database Administrator ended with him as the go-to problem solver for reports that would routinely find their way to the President of the University’s desk. He held positions that reported directly to the Dean of Engineering, and later for Sponsored Projects Administration, the arm of the University that manages most of their research grants. His friendly attitude, and his ability to turn around almost impossible requests with lightning speed earned him great respect across the entire institution. Eric’s three and a half year fight with pancreatic cancer was approached with the same sense of bravery, stoic competence and ferocious love for what is right that he brought to all such challenges. As his eldest daughter Riana said, it took a global pandemic to bring this man down. While he did not contract the virus itself, the timing of it’s arrival during his treatment affected his opportunities and full ability to continue to fight that fell enemy to a standstill. My beloved has gone to Asgard where the brave and the beautiful live forever. Never again will he be kept from picking up a blade and fighting for what is right in Valhalla, and that is indeed the best Heaven for him. Our separation is a deployment, for well I know that the Allfather has need for that strong sword arm in the spiritual fight to save Midgard that rages now. I will see him again. My love will not rest in peace, for that was not his wish, nor the wish of his Gods – until the day that I join him in the Hall of Bronzen Shields. Cattle die, kinsmen die One day I ween you yourself shall die One thing I know that never dies The name of one who has done well. Ride swiftly, fight hard, and feast well; my beloved warrior and hero, Eric Alan Coles. Your name will never die.