Eric Soderquist

Funeral Alternatives of Washington - Tumwater

Maria G. Hernandez

Olivewood Memorial Park

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Eric G. Soderquist

Eric Gordon Soderquist was born on May 16, 1962 to Michael Soderquist and Sandra Ware in Seattle. He took his journey to the Lord’s home on Dec. 1, 2008, at the age of 46. Eric lives on through his wife, son Geoff, mother, father, grandfather, two brothers, a sister, aunts, uncles, and many in-laws from Mary’s side of the family. Throughout his life, Eric lived it by doing what he loved best – helping, mentoring and giving to others. Family was first and foremost to Eric, there was always a family function going on with him. No matter what came along he always took time to listen and he always managed to soothe the hearts of everyone around him, especially with his arms wrapped around you as he gently hugged you. Your needs and problems became his to help you through your time. He wrote: “Appreciating the hardship of others – not just hear of problems, or just noting it exists, -- but feeling, breathing in the air of suffering. Being born on the road, growing up pondering impossible struggles, stepping-out to lead the way- only to be naked to a cross – is nothing you do just for fun.” He understood when others were hurting and needing guidance.

Please leave condolences and stories of your own. We also have set up a fund for donations in Eric’s name at the WA State Employee Credit Union. My intention is to begin a program to honor his name on leadership, management and training engineers. (Some will go to bring down the medical expenses as well).

Eric knew the importance of meaningful and sound training for his employees. He also knew how important it is to take care of your employees. I remember going with him to the recently remodeled office to hang up pictures, so that it was also a pleasant place to be at, not just a sterile place. He wrote: “If you plan as team then you will succeed as a team. If you allow capable people to define for themselves how work gets best accomplished, the essence of teamwork will be kind led. If you provide direction and boundaries (rules) for the path toward success then the assets from individual knowledges and experiences will become hyperactive when influenced by the catalyst of teamwork. If you put a high value on communication you will succeed as a team.” This was Eric and I want to continue this. 

Family Reflections

Eric was the oldest of four children. Eric grew up in the Corvallis/Albany, OR area where he graduated from South Albany High School in 1980. Throughout his childhood, he enjoyed participating in Boy Scouts, Wrestling, and Future Farmers of America horticulture club; he took a lot of pride in the greenhouse he kept in his backyard. Often when you wanted to find Eric you had to look for his dog Mister who went everywhere (inseperable) with Eric: like camping, biking and playing outside. Being the big brother gave Eric authority, so he thought. He used tabasico sauce and said it was jam on toast. His first try at being a chef, well not really, just a brother playing a joke. Eric enjoyed a close group of friends through his high school years. This group shared bible study, hanging out, and having fun. Eric’s work ethic began early by working on a farm as early as 14 years old and moved onto Fred Meyers working as a stocker and bagger. Eric often reminisced about this job when checking out at Fred Meyers with whoever was behind the register helping. 

From there he went to Oregon State University for a period of time while trying to find himself. After one or two quarters at OSU, he decided it was time to try something different, and moved down to Texas to work in the oil fields. He worked on the oil derricks for about two years, before once again deciding he need some change. After Texas, he enlisted in the US Army; later finding out this was the best decision of his life. During his career with Army, he met the love of his life Mary at the Defense Language Institute while studying Korean. His first date was earned by playing a backgammon with Mary. If she lost then she had to go on a date, well, guess what she lost. Eric graduated speaking basic Korean and went onto Goodfellow Air Force Base to gain his military skill in Military Intelligence. While there, he proposed to Mary at a Dairy Queen, quite romantic when you think about it because I am sure not many if any other person proposed marriage eating a peanut buster parfait. 

His next stint lead him to Korea with Mary from 1984-1987. Korea is where he created his proudest moment of his life, the birth of his son Geoff. During his tour in Korea, he was the soldier of the year for the brigade. Eric loved to get to know the culture of Korea and understand by visiting museums, parks, different cities and more. While in Korea he took three vacations with family visiting. He even got to know the tour guides because we took the same family reunion tour. Eric showed his family the ropes of eating kimchee and drinking Korean makolai, a rice wine. 

After four years in the Army, it was again time for change. It was now time for him to try school again. In 1991, he graduated from Saint Martin’s College with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, while at the same time raising his son and providing for the family. He also began his successful career with the Washington State Department of Transportation.(see blow comments from the DOT) Some highlights of his career include advocating for the nautical artwork through the Tacoma I-5 corridor, redirecting the Hood Canal Bridge project back on track, and most recently restructuring the $1.4 billion Tacoma/ Pierce County HOV Program. His success primarily came through his strong leadership skills, along with the aid of his expert teams. For his work, Eric put a lot of commuting miles in going up to Seattle for several years, to Port Orchard, and then down to Olympia, where he finally settled in. 

Eric and family lived in Puyallup for 11 years, where he raised his son with his wife. He attended the Puyallup United Methodist Church and taught Sunday school. Sunday school was very important to Eric who took hours to prepare for each week’s lesson to impart the meaning he gleaned from it but most important to him was teaching the word of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Eric loved to be with his buddy Geoff and raising him with Mary. He often told Geoff that his schooling was his job and he to put his best foot forward. He was a Weblos den leader and an assistant scout master in his son’s troop. One of the scouts was being raised by his grandmother, and Eric took time to build shelves for her in the garage. He planned field trips for the troop to see first hand what an engineering project looked like during construction. Being on the ground was important to Eric in order to understand what one is intending to do with a project, and he tried to impart that with the scouts. Don’t just talk about it, design around it, go out and see it 

Christmas is Eric’s favorite time of year. He always took his time to think about gifts for others. He loved the meaning of the Christ Story. Every Christmas everyone enjoyed a full stocking with gifts filled with essentials and candy as well as showing them with other gifts. He especially liked giving his grandfather and mother their stockings. We have a video of every Christmas from at least 1993 using a VHS camera the size of a movie set camera. Why replace something when it works perfectly fine and you use it only once a year, so he thought. Eric’s love tank was filled to the brim when he was giving but he felt fully filled and complete when he saw the smiles of appreciation from others for their gift. 

Eric enjoyed many things and a strong yearning for learning. He loved reading no matter where it was, the bathroom, the living room, outside, at work or on a plane. He read many managing books and leadership books, which he strongly felt are not the same but related, which lead him to be able to be a great manager and leader. He read works ranging from the Bible, biographies on presidents, Einstein, The Zen of Motorcycle maintenance, The Art of War by Sun Yat Sen, Elk Tactics, How to Improve Your Golf, the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge, and even a western. 

Eric with his son, father, nephew and other friends completed 2/3 of the Wonderland Train hiking around Mount Rainer, one of his favorite places he enjoyed; to him it was one of God’s splendor’s, a big sanctuary to find peace in. Eric enjoyed hunting that ever elusive elk and fishing with family, especially with his uncle. Playing cards was another pastime he enjoyed with family and friends but always basking in his winnings; like taping a $10 bill to the top of his poker can or making sure he always got the biggest smiley face for his win. Eric found solace in doing yard work and revealed in its beauty when he was done. He loved the smell of freshly mowed grass and newly fallen rain on concrete. Eric loved his dog kisses and finding his toys during his yard work. Eric is and always will be a man of honor and integrity. He lives on through the lives he has touched. Eric wrote, “I am blessed to have known the meaning of Christmas. Blessings abound. My favorite gifts: the Christ story told by anyone under 18 years old, thinking hard about what to give from the heart, and a smile offered in appreciation.” Washington Department of Transportation’s Reflections 

It's difficult to know how to say goodbye to Eric Soderquist, who, for those of us who knew him, was larger than life. Eric will be remembered for many outstanding qualities, but the quality we will hold closest to our hearts is the dedication he showed to the people who worked with him and for him. Eric believed that people were WSDOT's most valuable asset. He created opportunities every day to nurture that belief by sharing encouragement, gratitude and guidance to his staff. 

Eric enjoyed a challenge and sought out difficult projects. In 2005, Eric took on the leadership of Olympic Region's most infamous project - the East Half Hood Canal Bridge Replacement job. At that point, the ailing project was mired in a political, cultural and fiscal quagmire, and nothing short of an extraordinarily strong leadership team could move it forward. Eric embraced the challenge, assembled that team, and for the next three years led them down the path of success they enjoy today. 

In late 2007 Eric left the Hood Canal Bridge Office to tackle his next challenge - overseeing the design work of the $1.4 billion Tacoma/Pierce County HOV Program. Over the next year, Eric transformed the program by implementing changes he believed were critical to successful project delivery. His changes were sweeping and back to basics, including revising budgets, schedules and workforce, making major contractual changes, implementing new reporting structures, repackaging the projects themselves for more efficient design and construction, garnering internal resources and advocacy for the changes, and successfully communicating with execs and others the direction the Program was going. 

Eric's strong leadership skills were developed during his 18-year history at WSDOT. In 1991 Eric started as an E-1 in a Northwest Region design office. For the next six years, Eric held successively higher positions in other disciplines, including construction, traffic, and corridor planning. In 1998 he moved to Olympic Region where he held construction and design PE positions. He promoted to Region Program Manager, and finally to Assistant Region Administrator. 

Eric's passion for excellence was clear in everything he did. He routinely studied books on historical leaders such as Lincoln and Adams, but also modern leadership guru’s such as Bill Oncken and Mark Sanborn. He loved to discuss the best techniques with his management teams. It was not by chance that key members of Eric's staff moved with him as he took on new challenges, because he not only studied effective management and leadership - he practiced it. He had an unparalleled ability to build teams that were focused on their mission, cohesive in their values and visions, and mindful of the importance of developing and mentoring staff. 

Although Eric's spirit was larger than life, his body was not. Complications from a fall took Eric from us on December 1. Just 46 years old, Eric created a legacy that will live on in the projects on which he worked, the teams he left behind, and the memories of those fortunate enough to know him. 

A Celebration of Life is scheduled for 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 9th at First United Methodist Church, 1224 Legion Way SE, Olympia, WA 98501. 

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Eric Soderquist Obituary | Altogether