Eric Victor Roller passed away on Sept. 18, 2021 after a brief struggle to recover from heart surgery in the Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, Hudson Florida.  He leaves behind his former wife, Maryella Reed, sisters Sandra Boynton, Lillian Sorokin and brother William Roller. Eric had a prior marriage to Beth Boudreau in 1989.  Also, faithful friends, Bill Mc Grath, Tony Spada plus all his golf  companions, David Adamson, all of Florida; John Sliwa of Massachusetts, Robyn Bennett of Utah, Chuck Roberts of Connecticut, David Marcus of Hawaii and many other close friends will miss the departed.

Eric was a well-organized businessman, who knew the value of enhancing property. He began in the residential construction business in 1977, building his own first home in Lebanon, Connecticut. He eventually made a successful transition to home swimming pool construction. Still, he found himself gravitating toward home financing which piqued his interest even more. He held his mortgage broker license, closing numerous home loan transactions, specialized in reverse mortgages briefly, before discovering his forte as a Notary Signing Agent in a mortgage bundling firm.

Eric passed peacefully while under the professional care of Gulfside Hospice. He was often visited by his loyal friends, Nelson and Bickley Rivera. Nelson and Bickley were boon companions he met in Cromwell, Connecticut when Eric would frequently dine at the cafe they operated. After they moved to Florida in the early 2000s, Eric followed in their footsteps.

Despite a workaholic’s nature, the love of Eric’s life was golf. He had a dynamic yet graceful swing that powered a long ball off the tee. His approach game placed himself frequently pin high and capitalized on birdie and occasionally eagle opportunities. Eric was a junior club champion at 17 at his home course, Tumble Brook Country Club. And he was a standout competitor on his scholastic  golf teams at Laurel Crest Preparatory School and Monson Academy, where he was co-captain of the golf team. In tournaments, Eric scored a hole-in-one on the 5th hole at West Hartford Rockledge Country Club in 1967, and a hole-in-one on the 13th hole at Keney Park Country Club in 2001.

Inheriting a love of gambling from Mona Roller his mother, Eric played a fair hand of Poker and Black Jack. Throughout middle school, Friday Nights found Eric in the company of Yale Resnick, Elliot Lane and “Wuggins” hunched over a smoke filled gaming room table dealing for the occasional fattened kitty. He also was passionate about gardening and spent every summer attending to his crops and canning his vegetable bounty.   He was a talented Carpenter, frequently creating artful pieces for friends.  He enjoyed hiking and other outdoor recreation with boon companion Alan Baver until Alan’s untimely death in a boating accident.

Eric was a risk taker but what person whose life is worth examining did not venture risk? But he was never reckless. Rather, he was a handicapper with a precise memory, and a love of the competitive challenge. Many of his diverse friends will recall his feistiness, meticulous habits and wit, but instantly express how generous and thoughtful he was.  May he rest in peace.