Erik Normann Geertsen, søn af Edit Clausen og Svend Gustav Normann Geertsen, gift med Maryse Turcot, far til Elizabeth Geertsen, Friederik Geertsen (Nateisha Riddell) og bedstefar til Leyla Aldana-Geertsen, Maëlla Riddell-Geertsen og Trevaughn Riddell-Geertsen, forlod denne verden den 15. juni 2021 til fordel for en bedre verden, som han selv yndede at sige. Vi savner ham utroligt meget, for han var en god mand, et generøst og åndeligt menneske. Han vidste, hvordan han skulle sætte pris på de enkle og smukke glæder, som livet bragte ham, såsom at tilbringe glade stunder med sin familie og sine venner. Han var meget stolt af sin skønne familie.
Han har rørt os alle med sin varme, sin sans for humor, sin smittende latter og sin kærlighed til livet og mennesker.
Vi bærer ham nu kærligt i vores hjerter.
Mette Juuls [præstepraktikant] mindetale over Erik ved mindehøjtideligheden i Skt. Stefans Kirke på Nørrebro i København den 11. september 2021
Kære Maryse, Elizabeth og Friederik.
I dag sluttes cirklen om Eriks levede liv. I skal følge jeres elskede ægtemand og far til hans sidste hvilested, Bispebjerg Kirkegård Askefællesgraven. På den kirkegård, hvor også hans forældre hviler. Og fra Sankt Stefans Kirke i København, hvor du, Maryse, fulgte hans mor, din svigermor og jeres mormor til hendes sidste hvilested for mange år siden.
Som en ung og eventyrlysten mand rejste Erik til Canada i en alder af 20 år. En ung mand, der rejste fra lillebitte Danmark til det store British Columbia. Et sted, der er mere end 20 gange så stort som Danmark, men med samme befolkningstal. Det må have føltes øde sammenlignet med det tætbefolkede Danmark og København.
På det tidspunkt havde ingen opfundet internettet, og man kan spekulere over, om Erik havde nogen idé om, hvad der ventede ham? Men Erik mødte denne udfordring med stort mod og en enorm appetit på livet. Og stort mod og stor appetit på livet var kendetegnende for Erik. Jeg tror, man kan sige, at han greb mulighederne. Han havde en bred erhvervserfaring, der startede med den danske hær, hvor han var værnepligtig; han arbejdede i mineindustrien i British Columbia; han var i handelsbranchen; og han kørte lastbiler og taxaer, da han vendte tilbage til Quebec.
Han var passioneret omkring spiritualitet, og den passion viste sig at blive livsafgørende for ham, for det var der, han mødte dig, Maryse, i 79´. Du var hans assistent i tai chi-undervisningen, og jeres samarbejde skulle vise sig at blive livsvarigt. I ´84 blev I gift, og samme år blev Elizabeth født.
Grunden var lagt til et varmt og omsorgsfuldt familieliv. På det tidspunkt startede også en livslang samtale, og den samtale stoppede ikke rigtigt før den dag, da Erik døde. Du og din far, Friederik, kunne tale i timevis. I var et fantastisk par: Din far, der talte, forklarede og delte ud af sine erfaringer, og din evne til og glæde ved at lytte og lære. Med Eriks store interesse for og viden om litteratur, videnskab, Anden Verdenskrig osv. var der altid tusindvis af ting at lære og diskutere. Jeg er sikker på, at du allerede savner de samtaler vældig meget.
Erik talte ikke kun med jer tre. Han var dybt interesseret i andre mennesker, og han kunne tale med hvem som helst. En stor evne for en mand, der også var involveret i og interesserede sig for socialt arbejde og socialpsykologi.
Eriks cirkel tog sin begyndelse i Danmark. Han blev ført til Canada på grund af kærlighed. Og du, Maryse, sender ham nu tilbage til Danmark på grund af kærlighed - i respekt for, at han var dansk i sit hjerte. Kærligheden fulgte ham hele vejen på hans lange rejse. Lige fra begyndelsen til slutningen.
Den sang, som Erik holdt meget af, men som er for svær for os at synge i dag, handler om kærlighed. Den lyder:
Kald det kærlighed
kald det lige hvad du vil
ÅhhhuuuÅhh
der findes ingen ord
ingen ord der helt slår til
så kald det lige hvad du vil
Selvom sangen ikke kan beskrive kærlighed, er jeg sikker på, at både I tre og Erik ved, hvad kærlighed er.
Nu er Erik i Guds hænder. De store, stærke hænder, som bragte ham til denne verden, som beskyttede ham i hans liv, og som nu tager sig af ham, da han har forladt livet.
Han er nu i Guds hænder, ligesom han selv var i sin egen fars og sin bedstefars beskyttende, store og stærke hænder. Og ligesom Erik holdt din hånd, Maryse, og bar jer begge to, Elizabeth og Friederik, da I var små børn. De store og stærke hænder, der beskyttede jeres familie. Snart er det tid for jer tre at bære Erik i jeres hænder til hans sidste hvilested og lukke cirklen om hans liv.
I Davids salme 63 står der:
Gud, du er min Gud, jeg søger dig,
min sjæl tørster efter dig,
min krop længes efter dig
i det tørre, udpinte, vandløse land.
Ja, jeg vil skue dig i helligdommen
og se din magt og herlighed,
for din troskab er bedre end livet.
Mine læber skal lovsynge dig,
ja, jeg vil prise dig hele mit liv,
i dit navn vil jeg løfte mine hænder.
Min sjæl mættes som af fede retter,
og min mund lovpriser dig med jublende læber,
når jeg på mit leje husker dig
og tænker på dig i nattetimerne.
For du er blevet min hjælp,
og jeg jubler i dine vingers skygge.
Min sjæl hænger ved dig,
og din højre hånd holder mig fast.
Eriks cirkel er nu ved at slutte, og en ny cirkel for jer tre vil tage sin begyndelse. Som Thomas [red. sognepræst i Skt. Stefans Kirke] sagde forleden, er sorg kærlighed - men kærligheden skal nu finde en ny form. Dit forhold til din kære mand og jeres forhold til jeres elskede far fortsætter i en ny cirkel, som starter nu.
Æret være Eriks minde.
Amen.
___________________________________________________________________
Following the discovery of cancer, Erik Normann Geertsen, son of Edit Clausen and Svend Gustav Normann Geertsen, husband of Maryse Turcot, father of Elizabeth Geertsen, Friederik Geertsen (Nateisha Riddell) grandfather to Leyla Aldana-Geertsen, Maëlla Riddell-Geertsen and Trevaughn Riddell-Geertsen, left this earth on June 15th 2021 for a better world as he loved to say. We miss him every day as he was a good man, a generous and spiritual person. He knew how to appreciate the simple and beautiful pleasures that life would bring his way, like spending joyous times with family and friends. He was so proud of having such a beautiful family. He has touched all of us with his warmth, his sense of humor, his contagious laugh and his love for life and people. We now keep him dearly in our hearts.
Erik’s eulogy by Mette Juul, September 11th 2021
Dear Maryse, Elizabeth and Friederik, Today the circle of Erik's living life is closing. You will follow your beloved husband and father to his last resting place, Bispebjerg Kirkegard Askefaellesgrav. In the burial ground where also his parents rest. And from the Sankt Stefans Church in Copenhagen where you followed his mother, your mother-in-law and grandmother to her last resting place years ago.
As a young and adventurous man Erik travelled to Canada at the age of 20. A young man travelling from tiny, tiny Denmark to large British Columbia. A place more than 20 times the size of Denmark but with the same population. It must have felt desolated compared to densely populated Denmark and Copenhagen. At that time no one had invented the Internet and one can wonder whether Erik had any idea what to expect? But Erik met this challenge with great courage and a huge appetite for life. And great courage and a huge appetite for life was characteristic for Erik. I believe you can say that he seized opportunities. He had a varied work experience starting with the Danish army as a conscript, he worked in the mine industry in British Columbia, he was in trading business, and he drove trucks and taxis when he turned to Quebec. He was passionate about spirituality and that passion turned out to become life defining for him, because that´s where he met you, Maryse, in 79´. You were his teaching assistant in tai chi classes and your cooperation turned out to be life lasting. In ´84 you married and in the same year Elizabeth was born. The ground was founded for a warm and caring family life. At that time a long-life conversation also started, and that conversation did not really stop until the day Erik passed away. You and your Dad, Friederik, could talk for hours. You were a great couple, your Dad talking, explaining, and sharing his experiences and your ability and joy in listening and learning. With Erik's great interest in and knowledge about literature, science, World War II and so on there were always thousands of things to learn and to discuss. I believe that you already miss those conversations a lot. Erik did not only talk with the three of you. He was deeply interested in other people, and he could talk to anybody. A great ability for a man who was also involved in and cared for social work and social psychology. The circle of Erik took its beginning in Denmark. He was led to Canada because of love. And you are now returning him to Denmark because of love – respecting that he was Danish in his heart. Love followed him all the way on his long journey. From the very beginning to the very end. The song that Erik liked a lot, but which would be too difficult for us to sing today is about love. It says: Kald det kærlighed Kald det lige hvad du vil Å-u-åh der findes ingen ord Ingen ord der helt slår til Så kald det lige hvad du vil Call it love Call it whatever you like Oh-u-oh there are no words No words that completely describe it So, call it whatever you like Even though that the song cannot describe love, I am sure that both the three of you and Erik know what love is. Now, Erik is in the hands of God. The big, strong hands that brought him to this world, that protected him during his life and that now care for him having left life. He is now in the hands of God just like he himself was in the protecting big and strong hands of his own father and his grandfather. And just like Erik held your hand Maryse and carried the two of you when you were small kids. The big and strong hands that protected your family. Shortly, it is time for the three of you to carry Erik in your hands to his last resting place and close the circle of his life.
Psalm 63 of David says: You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.
The circle of Erik is now closing and a new circle for the three of you will take its beginning. As Thomas said the other day, grief is love – but love must now find a new shape. Your relationship with your dearest husband and father continues in a new circle that will start now. Honor be Erik's memory. Amen.