Eric Tierney

Eric Tierney, 26  Eric Joseph Tierney died early Monday morning, Jan. 23, 2006, at the LDS Medical Center in Salt Lake City.

Eric was born on May 18, 1979, in Butte, the son of Timothy and LeeAnn (Farren) Tierney.

It is very difficult to find the words that fittingly express the uniqueness and integrity of Eric's life. Words were essential to who he was and to how he related to those he treasured. He chose them carefully as he knew their impact on one's spirit.

Eric's life ended much too quickly, but the time he did have here was well-lived. He was proud to be one of Butte's sons and would tell anyone who would listen all about his hometown.

Whenever a situation placed him between a rock and a hard place, he would say "Hell, I'm from Butte ... it's what we're used to." One of Eric's doctors used just that phrase when telling us of the challenges Eric faced during his recent illness. Our fervent hope was that Eric would find his way back to us but ultimately he succumbed to the task and left us early Monday morning.

While we were left holding our breaths and hoping for more time with him, he was wrapped tightly in the arms of family and friends welcoming him home and turning him to gaze upon the face of the Lord.

Eric was blessed with a multitude of friends who loved him deeply. We are reluctant to name them here individually for fear of leaving anyone out, but it is vital that they realize their importance. Our family was awe-struck by the compassion they showed for Eric and for us. It was a glimpse into the true veracity of this nation's youth and telling of how decent this world could be if we chose to live lives of acceptance and empathy.

Family was everything to Eric. He said once that what he hoped to be remembered for most was that: "He was good to his family and that he loved them." It seemed this was information to be related in a time far from now yet here it is expressed all too soon.

We have been sharing Eric stories these past days, his brothers and sister telling us of things they did when all were young. Most of them funny, some heart-wrenching, told with a sense of happiness and tinged with the longing for yesterday. It seems now as if Eric knew his time with us would be short, he savored family functions, called if only to say he was thinking of us, always said he loved us and gave hugs that lifted you off the floor. He was a person we were proud to call son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin.

Eric was talented: he acted, he sang, he wrote, he cooked. He had a command for dialect that was amazing and loved to tell Irish jokes with a brogue he was always perfecting. We never got tired of hearing him sing and would plead with him to do his "Cartman" impression of "Come Sail A Way." He used his talents to entertain us, to comfort us, and to educate us … his sudden silence is deafening.

Eric was preceded in death by his great-grand- parents; June and Vince Quinlan, and Mary DeYott; grandparents, Gene "Bud" and Lorraine Tierney and Barbara Farren; and aunts and uncles, Steph and Phil Farren, Rod Farren, June and Jim White.

Surviving relatives include his parents, Tim and LeeAnn Tierney; brothers, Chris and Kyler Tierney; sister, Carey Tierney; grandfather, Wally Farren; aunts and uncles, Dana and Allen Liebel, Joe and Fran Tierney, Dan and Joyce Tierney, Colleen and Brian Mee, Gale and Bill Bacon, and Don and Connie DeYott; and numerous cousins and close friends.

Relatives and friends may call Friday after 5 p.m. in the chapel of Duggan Dolan Mortuary. Parish vigil services will be conducted at 7 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 9:30 a.m. from the mortuary. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. in St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Interment will follow in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery.

At the time of Eric's death he was working on a documentary film. To help complete this project, the family request memorials to The Center for Documentary Film, memo line power line film, c/o Frank Feldman, 1116 E. 300 S., Salt Lake City, UT 84102.

Our faith assures us that we will be with Eric again, we are counting on it, but until then our world is forever changed. Goodnight EJ, we love you.

Express condolences at www.mtstandard.com/obits.

Published in The Montana Standard on 1/26/2006http://www.legacy.com/MTStandard/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=16482783