Eric Baxter Obituary

Eric Jones Baxter, born July 8th 1986, died in his home in Chicago on June 17th, 2024, at 1:24am. Sleeping next to him was his wife, Hayley, and his mother, Lynne, slept in the next room.

Finding a way to summarise Eric in one short paragraph feels wrong. Eric was a presence in every room, every situation, like no other. The energy he brought to just about everything he did was a big part of what made him such a unique person. One of my favourite things about him was his desire to be out experiencing the world: finding new little coffee shops, exploring a new neighbourhood or area, stumbling across yet another weird art exhibit. He had a drive to always try new things, especially when he could share that experience with someone he loved. He had a power to make even the most mundane activities fun, exciting, and memorable. Anyone who was lucky enough to know him has experienced this unique feeling.

The love he had for his friends and family was so clear through the weird little things he accumulated over his life and experiences. Old greeting cards, pamphlets, train tickets, photographs, some weird little figurine or sculpture, postcards, a zine---all collected and kept from times he enjoyed with those he loved.

Eric was a fantastic scientist. I’m not going to write a list of his academic history or achievements, you can look that up if you want. A huge number of his friends come from his work, and I believe a big part of his passion for his work lay in the people he worked with. He was always so incredibly dedicated to his students; even in his last months alive he made the effort to make sure they were taken care of. He will forever be remembered not only by his contributions to his field, but also by anyone who had the pleasure of working with him. Especially those who were lucky enough to witness a handstand fight or play against him in ping pong.

In May of 2023, Eric was diagnosed with glioblastoma: a deadly brain cancer with no known cure. He was so committed to making sure he did everything right in his treatment. He was so upbeat at almost every step of this incredible journey, it was almost unbelievable, and as always he found great comfort in finding humour wherever he could. I feel so privileged that I got to be by his side along the way. We married in late May 2023, a few days after his diagnosis, on one of our favourite beaches in Hawaii by Diamond Head. I’ll never know exactly what this journey was like for him, but one thing I know is how deeply touched he was by the love and support he received after his diagnosis, and throughout his final year, from those around him.

I could write about Eric all day. Anyone who knows him is aware of the very specific Eric-shaped hole he has left in all of our lives. No one can ever fill that, and we wouldn’t want them to. We will remember Eric forever and we will talk about him forever.

If you want to do something for Eric, Lynne, or myself, the best way to do this is to let Eric’s energy and values live on through you. If you really want to give something, you can donate to one of the following causes/places that Eric loved:

Always keep talking about Eric and keep him with you.
-- Hayley