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| The New York JCI Senate Mourns the Loss of Senator Eric V. Kirch #59869 |
Eric VanDerKar Kirch, 48, passed away Sept. 3
after a courageous battle with lung cancer. He
is survived by four loving children: Erika,
Amanda, Scott Eric and Joshua; his devoted
partner Kim Stanton; his parents, Cynthia and
Warren Corderman and Eugene and Barbara
Kirch; his sister Rebecca Kirch and husband
Erik Huitfeldt and brother Michael Kirch and wife
Jeannene and their children.
Eric was an alumnus of Broome Community
College, and was very enthusiastic about his
many years of work with colleagues and
customers as Technical Support Manager of
Housing Systems at the CBord Group in Ithaca.
He was an active member of the Jaycees, and
served as President of both the New York State
Jaycees and The New York State JCI Senate.
Eric gave much love, and was cherished as
father, brother, son and friend. He loved life and
all its gifts. His greatest joy, pride and strength
came from being an adored dad.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday,
Sept. 13, at 2:00 p.m. at the Bednarsky Funeral
Home, 96 Glenwood Ave., Binghamton. The
family will greet friends beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made in Eric’s
name to the American Cancer Society, Relay for
Life, 13 Beech St., Johnson City, NY 13790.
after a courageous battle with lung cancer. He
is survived by four loving children: Erika,
Amanda, Scott Eric and Joshua; his devoted
partner Kim Stanton; his parents, Cynthia and
Warren Corderman and Eugene and Barbara
Kirch; his sister Rebecca Kirch and husband
Erik Huitfeldt and brother Michael Kirch and wife
Jeannene and their children.
Eric was an alumnus of Broome Community
College, and was very enthusiastic about his
many years of work with colleagues and
customers as Technical Support Manager of
Housing Systems at the CBord Group in Ithaca.
He was an active member of the Jaycees, and
served as President of both the New York State
Jaycees and The New York State JCI Senate.
Eric gave much love, and was cherished as
father, brother, son and friend. He loved life and
all its gifts. His greatest joy, pride and strength
came from being an adored dad.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday,
Sept. 13, at 2:00 p.m. at the Bednarsky Funeral
Home, 96 Glenwood Ave., Binghamton. The
family will greet friends beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made in Eric’s
name to the American Cancer Society, Relay for
Life, 13 Beech St., Johnson City, NY 13790.
Remembering Eric Kirch
By Robert A. Cairns #59815
I first met Eric Kirch in 1991 when he was a new member of the Binghamton Jaycees and I was the newly-
installed district director for New York's eastern Southern Tier. He immediately stood out as an individual with
extraordinary curiosity and work ethic. Leadership naturally fell to him and he grasped it. He succeeded me as
region director two years later and never looked back.
Eric climbed the ranks of the Jaycees, serving the communities of New York State and mentoring younger
members until he was elected as the organization’s 68th president in 1997. He was a loved and admired
leader in New York and a respected voice for our state in the national organization, the United States Junior
Chamber of Commerce. Along the way, he led the effort to create the Broome County Jaycees and worked to
extend the organization in other areas of the state.
His work on behalf of others did not end when he left office. He continued to support the area’s only surviving
Jaycee chapter, the Johnson City Jaycees, advised state Jaycee officers, was an active JCI Senator and served
as a trustee of the New York State Jaycees foundation until his death. Only in recent months, as he fought the
cancer that eventually killed him, did he give up the service that had marked his life.
He received every honor the organization can bestow. The New York State Jaycees made him a Governor. The
U.S. Junior Chamber made him an Ambassador. Junior Chamber International made him a Senator. He was
honored, twice, with national awards for excellence as a state officer. Somewhere, his family has inherited
boxes of state, regional and local awards.
Eric would tell you, and so will I, that the real measure of a leader is taken not in awards and honors, but in the
impact one makes on people. By that measure, he was a great man. Since word of his death began making its
way through his enormous circle of friends, I have seen him described as a “giant,” a “stalwart,” a “legend” and
more. Hundreds of people are mourning his passing with heartfelt expressions of loss.
He was just as generous in his personal and family relationships. He was also a hell of a lot of fun to be
around.
I’m happy to have accompanied Eric Kirch on his journey from a meeting in a restaurant in Binghamton to the
national stage of a great organization in cities throughout the country. I’m pleased to have worked with him to
raise tens of thousands of dollars for charity and mold leaders who will make a difference in their communities
for years to come. Mostly, I’m proud that a great man was my friend.
By Robert A. Cairns #59815
I first met Eric Kirch in 1991 when he was a new member of the Binghamton Jaycees and I was the newly-
installed district director for New York's eastern Southern Tier. He immediately stood out as an individual with
extraordinary curiosity and work ethic. Leadership naturally fell to him and he grasped it. He succeeded me as
region director two years later and never looked back.
Eric climbed the ranks of the Jaycees, serving the communities of New York State and mentoring younger
members until he was elected as the organization’s 68th president in 1997. He was a loved and admired
leader in New York and a respected voice for our state in the national organization, the United States Junior
Chamber of Commerce. Along the way, he led the effort to create the Broome County Jaycees and worked to
extend the organization in other areas of the state.
His work on behalf of others did not end when he left office. He continued to support the area’s only surviving
Jaycee chapter, the Johnson City Jaycees, advised state Jaycee officers, was an active JCI Senator and served
as a trustee of the New York State Jaycees foundation until his death. Only in recent months, as he fought the
cancer that eventually killed him, did he give up the service that had marked his life.
He received every honor the organization can bestow. The New York State Jaycees made him a Governor. The
U.S. Junior Chamber made him an Ambassador. Junior Chamber International made him a Senator. He was
honored, twice, with national awards for excellence as a state officer. Somewhere, his family has inherited
boxes of state, regional and local awards.
Eric would tell you, and so will I, that the real measure of a leader is taken not in awards and honors, but in the
impact one makes on people. By that measure, he was a great man. Since word of his death began making its
way through his enormous circle of friends, I have seen him described as a “giant,” a “stalwart,” a “legend” and
more. Hundreds of people are mourning his passing with heartfelt expressions of loss.
He was just as generous in his personal and family relationships. He was also a hell of a lot of fun to be
around.
I’m happy to have accompanied Eric Kirch on his journey from a meeting in a restaurant in Binghamton to the
national stage of a great organization in cities throughout the country. I’m pleased to have worked with him to
raise tens of thousands of dollars for charity and mold leaders who will make a difference in their communities
for years to come. Mostly, I’m proud that a great man was my friend.