Eric Luis Campanano's Obituary
Eric Luis Campanano was born on April 21st 1982, in San Jose, CA to proud parents Candie and Joe Campanano and brother Chris McClain, and later joined in the family by sister Marie Campanano, sister-in-law Yanira McClain, and niece Madison McClain. He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and was very active in the performing arts all throughout his school years. Eric attended Encinal High School in Alameda, where he played clarinet as part of the marching band and served two years as a record-breaking Drum Major. He was also very active in the drama department, most notably starring as John Proctor in The Crucible and the title role in The King & I. Eric later attended San Francisco State University, where he received local and national accolades as part of the Speech and Forensics team. In 2003, he ranked 7th in the nation in Duo Interpretation and was a large part of the most successful 4-year stretch in SFSU’s speech and debate history. In turn, he felt compelled to give back to SFSU by working as a volunteer speech coach and inspiring the next generation. He began working at Kinko’s/FedEx Office as a self-proclaimed “copy boy,” but was recognized for his talents and given opportunities for advancement. This provided the perfect work-life balance, as Eric—always a people-person—enjoyed making friends near and far, leading him to adventures across the U.S., Europe, and the Philippines. That sense of adventure inspired him to follow his heart to Arizona, where he continued his passions of writing and poetry while chasing the sun. Eric made many new connections in Arizona, and began a new chapter with Sean Brooks and their doggies, Roosevelt and Loki. He recently earned a promotion as the FedEx Hospitality and Convention Center Operations Manager at the Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, an opportunity he proudly embraced. Eric will be remembered as a beautiful soul who could touch others with his words, whether through the power of his writing, the eloquence of his spoken voice, or the spirit of his singing.
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