My memories of Eric started back when he was a student at Stonewall Elementary, and Joy asked me to tutor him in our home. Math offered a special challenge to Eric, and I soon discovered Eric offered a special challenge to me! He was able to get me off-track in a heartbeat that first session. This was not going to be as easy as I thought—he came armed with a charming smile, polite words and artwork that he wanted to share with me. I soon realized that teaching him math was going to be the easiest part of this job—keeping him on task was to be my challenge. Our future sessions did get around to math, but I always allowed him to show me some of his “aircraft artwork”, too.
We would meet to work on math at other segments of Eric’s educational path. High school visits, college visits and even preparation for a military exam allowed us to reunite. Those visits were so much fun for me. Eric had matured without losing his childlike personality. I can’t remember any of my other tutoring clients spending so much of our sessions smiling so broadly. Math is not supposed to be that enjoyable!
I was so honored to be invited to the Terhune home for a ceremony for Eric’s commissioning. He could always light up a room, and he certainly did that day. What a loss for our country, his family and friends…and me. To never be able to spend those short, infrequent, but quality sessions with Eric leaves me sad—but mostly proud.
This Fourth of July seems a fitting time to thank you, Joy and Dan, for letting me into Eric’s life. You raised a fabulous grandson! God bless you.
Sheila Sonka
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