I rested on Erik's bench at Hickory Hill Park. He sounds like a wonderful man, and your memorial here is a beautiful way to remember him. Thank you!

Phil, Caitlin and Kids, Janny, Allen, and Richard,

My heart was so saddened to hear of Erik's passing. I remember Erik as a young boy who was so joyful, kind and eager to be around people. While I am so sorry for those who love him, I am so happy to learn that he knew the joys of loving a beautiful woman and got to experience being a father. It sounds like he was an incredible man who really lived. Our prayers will be with you all.

I will always count myself lucky that Erik was one of the first people I met in Iowa City in the fall of 2003. We were in a teacher trainee group together, so I got to hang out with him pretty every week of our first year in graduate school. I loved talking to him about reading, writing, and teaching. He was easily one of the funniest and kindest people I'd ever met. Just one of the best people.

Phil- I have been out of town and just learned of your son's death. Our condolences to you and his family. I know how proud you were of him and his many accomplishments. Our thoughts are with you-John and Barb Spence

Our condolences to Phil, Caitlin, and Erik's family. He was a generous, talented man. We will all miss him.

Erik was one with many talents and his words although few left you in wonder and question. He helped teach me and guided me when he could with my writtings. Erik never looked at life through the disapointments but through his many accomplishments. He was well liked and loved by those who knew him and will remain in our memories and hearts forever.

Chris Fuller

I worked with Phil at ACT. The minute I saw Eric I knew he was Phil's son.

This is a shock even though I did not know Eric well.

He just radiated a lot of light.

Sincere sympathies to family

Erik was lovely-- so smart, witty, sometimes wry, always kind. I loved his poems and am so grateful we were in workshop together. Cait, I don't know you, but I am sending you much love. Your family is beautiful and Erik's amazing spirit will live on in your children. I'm so sorry for your loss.

To Phil and all of the Lemke family,

I'm so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you.

Mary Stevenson

Dear Cait and Family

So sorry to hear of your loss. Thinking of you at this time, and hoping you can be comforted by having your family near by for your continued support.

Phil and Family,

Our deepest sympathy goes out to your family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.

Dear Caitlin,

My deepest sympathies go out to you and your family. I will cherish the memories I have of you, Erik, Sean and I spending time together at the Chicago conferences and at lab dinners and lab holiday parties at your house. Erik was a very generous person, generous with his laughter and kindness as well as sharing his love for you and your beautiful children with others. I will always remember his welcoming ways, discussions of coffee with Sean (a shared passion) as well as his amazing skills playing any and all of the instruments for Guitar Hero. I know that the deep love he felt for you and Fin and Claire will carry you through this difficult time.

I'm just writing to say goodbye to a fellow who I wished I could have gotten to know better. I could tell that Erik was a sweet, smart man, and I wish his family the best in this hard time.

Dear Cait, kids, and extended family...Words don't exist to adequately describe how deeply sorry we are for your tremendous loss. We are thinking of you and sending wishes that you'll find the strength you need. May your happy memories from the past provide solace in this saddest of times.

I remember when mom told Me She was gonna have a baby. I was excited, Since i'd never had a younger brother before. You were such a good looking kid and i could tell you were witty and funny. You really were a sharp one. Although we didn't live together growing up, i really enjoyed getting to hang out some summers. As we got older our lives went seperate directions. I'm glad you chose education. Your intellect and humor were a gift to be shared with the world. I was happy to hear when you were getting married. You and your lovely wife looked really happy together and I could tell that she really loved you. And that's when I stopped viewing you as a kid. You were at that moment, in my eyes anyway, offically a grown man. And what a man you became. You are someone we can all be proud to say we had the pleasure to know. But i am honored that we share the same blood. As do our children. And I will look out for your children and your wife, doing for them what i can. You will be greatly missed little brother. Many people may have known you better, but few loved you more. I will love you always. Kiss grandma, grandpa, and aunt Alice for me.

Phil and family.

Phil and family, so sorry to hear of your loss, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Sincere condolences to Erik's family and friends.

I didn't know Erik that well but I was a barista for him at Caribou Coffee where he was an avid regular. I always heard stories of his family and how his job was going. He is going to be greatly missed by the caribou staff. My thoughts and prayers go to his family during this tough time.

One of my fondest memories of Erik was watching world cup matches with him and cait in the early am hours in 2002--nothing says dedication like a beer or blood mary at 5am before heading off to work. No words can ever express how unique and loving of a guy Erik was, or as I told my friend on Monday when she asked if I wanted to cancel drinks--I said nah, there is nothing I can do better than grab a drink and toast Erik. It's just the way he would have wanted it.

This news is difficult to bear.

Rich, Though I don't know your family, I am so sorry for your loss. God has a plan for us all, and at times it doesn't make sense. Hang in there - Love you both -

Marlee

Phil, I was so sad to hear of Erik's passing. You and your family are in my thoughts.

Phil, Cait, & All,

we are finally getting over the shock. Now trying to plan how and who can come..... all our hearts are already there with you.

My thoughts first went to that little mother's day video we have when the kid's were small (1988) and Erik did his Ronald Regan impersonation....then i had to get out reunion photos and came accross another one of him as a child in the chair with Phil--no gray hair yet!!!!

then all the years and smiles and hugs came flooding in......with the tears.

love you all so much.

our thoughts and prayers have been with you,

love & hugs, Angela , John and family

I'm another person that Erik touched in his years on Earth -- Erik and I learned to teach literature together while we were in different grad programs at Iowa. We also, he reminded me, were in a grad class on English drama while he was still an undergrad and I was in my early years in the PhD program.

Although I never knew him, I see the family resemblance. I enjoyed his pictures of his pride and joy, his family on Facebook. A life taken too soon, a hole is left in many hearts by his passing. May happy memories act as a suave to the wounds of losing this loved one, this bright, articulate man, my cousin Erik.

Ang Lehr

We would like to extend our deepest condolences to Cait and her family. We will always remember Erik for his sharp wit, kind disposition, devotion to his family, and his poker banter. xoxo

Caitie, I have never been more at a loss for words of comfort. I am sure you have heard them all from all the wonderful people you and Erik knew. I wish I were able to give you and the kids a big hug while I told you how much you are loved, but then you have been hugged and told how much you are loved by many. The one thing that lingers in my mind is what your grandmother said to me. She said, "I don't want to leave you, but I know there is another adventure waiting for me." Strange, but that has always given me comfort and I hope it will you.

Uncle Dick

Philip and families of Erik,

So sorry to hear of your loss. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Cait - Although I had never met Eric, you and I have known each other for years. My heart is aching for you and your family, and it is my hope that you know that there are many people thinking and praying for you right now. If there is anything I can do, please let me know.

Erik, I will miss your playing with your little ones in your backyard. Looking from my home over your fence into the empty play structure fills me with deepest sorrow. Wherever you are now, bless your soul!

Your neighbor Nik

Alan and I are very moved by this sudden and tragic loss of Keith's dear friend, Erik. Erik and Keith knew each other since high school. Erik's and Keith's families have had many get togethers and play dates with Finton and Nolan. There is no replacing Erik, but I know Keith and Leslie will stay in close contact with Cait, Finton and Claire and try to help fill the tremendous void.

Sorry to hear of your loss. We will keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.

Dear Caitlin and family,

A lot of people are praying for you in this very difficult time. We hope that our prayers give you strength and peace, and I hope it comforts you to know that you have many friends who care about you very much.

-Nancy Ray

Hearts are heavy for this loss. The Caribou Family will miss him dearly. Erik we will always have a fresh brew of coffee for you. God just gained a great person. Condolences to Erik's family,

phil, steve elder just told me about your son erik. i am so sorry. much to soon for someone so young. you and your family and ericks will be in my thoughts. i have no special words to say to help take away the pain. just wanted to say how sorry i am. susan

Erik: Though we hadn't seen you in many years, we still remember you running around your dad's shop. Your dad pulled us out of a slump when your dad hired Brad to help him at his little shop. To hear of your passing and to see what you have accomplished and having your own family, well ...gone far too soon. Phil: Our thoughts and prayers are with you all at this time. Brad & Deb BoothE

To a friend gone

I forgot to turn the alarm off.

So at 5:10 it sounded

and I picked up my phone

to silence it,

maybe to go back to sleep

maybe to go to the gym.

A Monday, busy week ahead.

But I can't keep myself

from checking messages.

I knew from the first words

what the message would say,

even though it was impossible.

You, good friend, were gone.

Impossible.

We exchanged messages little more

than a day before. We put off talking about

the book we had read

until you felt better,

until more people from the group

could make it.

Impossible.

I don't feel like I deserve

to feel the way I do.

These are emotions reserved for family,

for those who shared your life

much more intimately than I did.

But I do feel this way.

I feel this loss.

I think of your children,

your wife, your family,

and I think of you:

a good man.

No, great, because in every way

you were good.

I want an explanation.

I want reason.

I want this to not be.

But it is.

Impossible,

but it is.

I want solace and comfort

for all of those who knew you,

for all of us who will think of you.

But for now, I will do what I can

to tend this hole that has opened,

and we who knew you

will reap the bounty of knowing you

and hope that bounty

can be a salve to our grief.

My heart aches. Erik and I talked about everything under the sun in the time I knew and worked with him--from poetry to the Minnesota Vikings and beyond. I painted a jar depicting a Scottish kilt with hairy legs hanging out so he could store his pencils. I still remember how he laughed when I gave it to him. And I remember, too, the delight he took in being a father. Phil, Cait and the children, I hold you dear in my thoughts.

Erik, you will be missed, I will always remember the summer you came to stay with us in Florida. We had so much fun, and made awesome memories. Love you!

I met Erik in 2003 when he began teaching in the General Education in Literature department at the University of Iowa--I had the pleasure of being his teaching mentor. I remember how Erik's students responded enthusiastically in his class discussions (he could even persuade them to like Kafka!) and how his witty sense of humor spiced up our Thursday afternoon meetings. He was a gifted writer and teacher, someone who loved words and moved people with them. He made friends so easily--everyone in our teaching group adored him. The very first poem that Erik chose to teach, Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself," asks the same unanswerable questions that we're asking today:

Cait, I know that Erik is holding you and Fintan and Claire in his arms forever.

For a long time I merely thought Erik to be an exceptionally bright, articulate and funny person. I anticipated a certain charge whenever he'd open his mouth, no matter the topic; nothing was sacred where his wit was concerned. Then one day, Cait brought their son, Fin into work and I saw Erik transformed into far broader dimensions. He was a father with an unusual degree of understanding of the concept of 'child' as a whole person, and seemed to approach the raising of his children with such deep respect for them, as well as a deep well of humor, and generosity of Spirit. He took this responsibility to Heart in a way I've never observed in any other man. It was always a pleasure to watch him with Fin and Claire, or hear him speak of them. We inundated one another's email with baby photos. My last e-mail from him on Wednesday was to celebrate with me that I finally will get to meet my 19month old GrandGirl when I travel to Australia this week. His admonishment to "be sure to take lots of pictures" was assuredly ironic. My only regret in having known him, is that now I cannot share those photos, those grand/parenting moments with someone I both admire and respect, and who modeled parenting for me in a way that is a Blessing to the whole Human Spirit. Erik ,the hole you leave in our Hearts is excruciating, and speaks to all your attributes. Cait and Phil, and family, my deepest sorrows are with you.

I did not know Erik well, only in our occasional interactions at ACT, but I so saddened by his passing. Of course he will be missed by his family and friends; he also will be missed by his ACT "family."