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In Memory of Eric Minton aka (GG-1)


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#1 AlanB

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Posted 29 June 2016 - 05:23 PM

With great sadness I must tell everyone that our long time OTOL member and my good friend, Eric Minton passed away yesterday (Tuesday June 28th). :(  Alas we don't yet know what happened, as it seemed that he was recovering well from his recent surgery and had returned home several weeks ago.  He was even in chat this past Sunday.
 
Please join me in expressing our deepest condolences to the family he leaves behind, his sister Bonnie and her family and his daughter Christine along with her daughter whom grandpa Eric just adored.
 
In closing I'm going to borrow Bill Magee's words from a post he wrote as I think he hit the nail right on the head in expressing how many of us railfains saw Eric:
 

Most of all, Eric was a kind and gentle man who had an infectious smile. I searched for a photo that I thought expressed what I felt was the true Eric, and found this one that he used as his Facebook cover photo. He was a kid at heart, and this expresses it perfectly.

 
eric.jpg
Alan,

Take care and take trains!

#2 pennyk

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Posted 29 June 2016 - 05:28 PM

:( Eric will be missed, especially on Sunday night chats.  My condolences to his family.



#3 saxman

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Posted 29 June 2016 - 05:45 PM

Wow, he was just in our Sunday night chat. He always told us Aloha and Mahalo, and sure did love the GG-1 whenever we saw it. He will be missed.  :(



#4 KevinKorell

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Posted 29 June 2016 - 06:16 PM

I don't think Eric was back to himself since he had the surgery.  He used to be enthusiastic during the Sunday chat and would be on from start to finish, in deference to his being out west where it is earlier in the day. However recently, including what would be his last chat this past Sunday, he had to leave early and go lay down.  We will miss his presence on the chat sessions.

 

I believe that Eric first joined our RailFests in 2007, appearing at the NoCal Fest that year. He was also at Florida RailFest 2008, SoCal Fest 2009, and our Pacific Northwest (PNW) RailFest 2010.  The last two of those he brought his granddaughter Evan along (although SoCal was in her backyard as she lives in Orange County).  . I can recall him carrying around an oversized movie camera.  He made videos for us out of a couple of his "shoots" during the earlier Fests he attended. But it was comical that Eric managed to lose a camera or a lens cover each year.  I think he really wanted to join us on other trips since 2011, but finances became tough and he unfortunately could not do it. 

 

220px-Amtrak_No_904.jpg



Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ


#5 AlanB

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Posted 29 June 2016 - 07:45 PM

Yes Kevin, NoCal was the first fest he ever attended.  It remained fixed in my mind because that was where he presented both Lynn Hammond and my mom with Hawaiian Leis trackside as we detrained from the Zephyr.  He had never met any of us in real life prior to that point, yet his kind heart and adherence to tradition saw him greeting the women with flowers.  He wasn't born in Hawaii, but he most certainly followed some of what he saw as their better customs, including always using Aloha.


Alan,

Take care and take trains!

#6 amtrakwolverine

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Posted 29 June 2016 - 11:20 PM

Eric will be missed. It was a shame he could not attend more fests before his untimely passing. At least we did get to chat with him one last time.



#7 CHamilton

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Posted 16 July 2016 - 11:01 PM

Posted with Bonnie's permission.
 

I am sending you a copy of the obituary for Eric that I submitted to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. It will appear in the Sunday paper on July 17 2016 and I though that you might want to see it.
Bonnie

 

 

Eric Joseph Daniel Minton 
1944 – 2016
 
Eric Minton, born on July 21, 1944 in Philadelphia, PA, passed away on June 27, 2016 in Las Vegas, NV.  He was the son of Frederick Roblin Minton and Ethel Dolores Howe.
 
He is survived by his daughter, Christine Minton Ibarra and his Granddaughter, Evangeline Ibarra of La, Habra, CA, his sister, Bonnie Minton Kryszak and her husband Wayne of Bowie, MD, and his former wife, Linda Marie Foreman Minton, also of La Habra, CA.
 
Eric graduated from Midwood High School in Brooklyn, NY in 1961, where, as President of the Audio-Visual Club, he began his life-long love of the theatre.  He went on to work in several Little Theatre Groups, including The Little Theatre Group of Manchester, CT.  Determined to work at Disneyland in California, he left the east coast in 1964 and did just that.      
 
After his marriage in 1967, he and his wife moved to Hawaii where he joined I.A.T.S.E, Hawaii’s Technicians for Film, Television, Stage and Projection, Local Union 665 as a stagehand/spotlighter in a career that lasted over 35 years.  He worked in many major performance venues, including the Waikiki Shell. His work also included television shows filmed in Honolulu, such as The Brian Keith Show and Magnum P.I. with Tom Selleck. His work brought him in contact with many celebrities, a favorite being Red Skelton, whom he greatly admired.
 
In 1977 Eric toured across the U.S., as a spotlighter, with the Ice Capades, starring Dorothy Hamill.  He travelled with his four year old daughter, Chris, who had the attention of all the skaters.
 
His interests included model railroading and train travel. Eric was a member the Amtrak Unlimited Forum and the On-Track-On-Line Forum where he formed many friendships. Known as “GG-1”, after the Pennsylvania Railroad electric locomotive that was his favorite, he included his much loved daughter and granddaughter on many of these train trips.   He was also an avid roller coaster fan.
 
In 2007 Eric moved to Las Vegas, NV.  In Las Vegas he participated in the Annual Santa Claus Train Event.  He helped produce his community newsletter and was president of Palm Grove Seniors Helping Seniors. He was an excellent photographer and used this talent to create a catalog of stagehand rental equipment for the Las Vegas area.
 
His heart and soul, however, remained in Hawaii.  Many of his friends said that Eric had the heart and soul of a native Hawaiian: laid back, friendly, peaceful in nature.  His big smile is what his family and friends remember most.  He touched many lives and will be missed greatly.
 
As Eric would say to all who were in his life, “Mahalo and Aloha”
 
Services will be private.  
 
Memorial donations may be made in Eric’s name to:  Palm Grove Seniors Helping Seniors, Attn: Donave Stanley, Secretary/Treasurer 1624 Palm St, Lot 179 Las Vegas, NV 89104 or to The Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy, Attn: Anne Pratt 20 W Red Skelton Blvd. Vincennes, IN 47591 812-888-4184.



#8 CHamilton

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Posted 17 July 2016 - 07:29 AM

Here is the online version of the obituary. http://obits.reviewj...n&pid=180696780






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