John Eric Simonet, 46
John Eric Simonet passed away Oct. 23, 2012, at Kootenai Medical Center from a sudden cardiac arrest at the age of 46. While Eric was born in California, he moved to Idaho as a teenager, and proudly called himself an Idaho native.
He was a graduate from the University of Idaho program with both a B.S. and an M.A. He was a tireless advocate for the mental health community and for his vocational rehabilitation clients. Eric took great satisfaction in helping others and was always so proud when he heard about the success of a past or current client. Eric was well-known for his passion for politics and his ability to argue anyone into submission! He felt strongly about ongoing issues and was always well-informed in regard to national news.
In addition to politics, Eric enjoyed the outdoors and was enthusiastic in his cultivation of the trees on his property. He spent many hours transplanting trees into his yard and took pride in their growth. He was most at home on his ATV on top of a mountain.
However, his greatest source of pride and joy was his son, Ryan. Everyone who knew Eric knew Ryan, and knew how much Eric cherished him. From bonfires with marshmallows, to days at Silverwood, to cheering each other on in taekwondo, Eric was one of Ryan’s biggest supporters. Eric was a red belt in taekwondo and was committed to assisting Ryan as he worked his way through his own belt colors. Their weekly classes with one another were a wonderful bonding experience that will be greatly missed. Eric was looking forward to teaching Ryan about the superior qualities of Formula 1 racing over NASCAR, tamarack over Douglas fir, and why Reaganomics did not work!
Although Eric was not a believer in the afterlife, his family and friends feel certain that he is currently exploring the separation of church and state with Thomas Jefferson, racing Formula 1 cars with Aryton Senna, debating psychiatric theory with Freud, rocking with Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd, riding along with Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters, expanding his consciousness with Timothy Leary, and above all, championing his son. Everyone who knew Eric has an “Eric story” to share, generally with a mix of laughter, love and exasperation.
If you would like to share your story, you are welcome to attend the open house Celebration of Life from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, hosted by Scott and Connie Berger. Please contact Keri at (208) 659-4782, Connie at 819-2894 or Scott at 661-5102.