Eric was born and grew up in Pretoria. He attended the Sunnyside Primary School and matriculated at Pretoria Boys’ High School in 1955. He obtained a Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Natal, worked for the Municipalities of Springs and later Durban before immigrating to Perth, Australia about 33 years ago.
He married Ilona Steinman in 1963. They had one son, John.
Eric worked for the West Australia Water Authority until he retired and thereafter on a contract basis until a couple of years ago. He and his wife planned to travel and go on cruises during his retirement years, and it was prior to one of these trips that he collapsed at Perth Airport and passed away three days later on 26 May 2015 from a massive stroke, shortly after his 76th birthday.