Eric Lauritzen

Obituary of Eric Grove Lauritzen

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CHESTERTOWN: Eric Grove Lauritzen (83) of Chestertown, NY, and Jupiter, Florida, passed away peacefully on January 28th, 2025, at Elderwood Nursing Home in North Creek, NY.

Born on March 6, 1941, Eric was the son of the late Grove and Eunice Lauritzen. He grew up in Hamburg, NY, where he developed determination, a strong work ethic, and appreciation for those closest to him.  Using these qualities, he put himself through Michigan Tech University where he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering while he pursued the Army ROTC program. Upon graduating, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army, serving at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, and later completing a tour as a First Lieutenant in Vietnam, earning a Bronze Star for his distinguished service.  

After his military service, Eric returned to Hamburg and married the love of his life, Kathy Mazur and began his career as a professional engineer. Eric held positions at companies including Wurlitzer, Ramco Steel, and Nuclear Fuel Services. In 1976, Eric took a position with General Electric (GE) Silicones Division in Waterford, NY, where he worked for 27 years until he retired.  During his retirement, Eric and Kathy divided their time between Loon Lake in the Adirondacks during the summer and Jupiter, Florida in the winter. He and Kathy also traveled extensively including many United States National Parks, Hawaii, Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. 

Eric enjoyed the challenges of engineering, especially at the GE plant. He was known for his extensive knowledge of how the plant operated and his problem solving skills. Eric used his engineering skills in his personal life as well.  His love of projects, solving problems, and helping others were his distinguishing qualities. Eric was an excellent listener who was thoughtful and contemplative. He would seek to understand an entire problem before offering possible and often clever solutions. Friends, neighbors, and his children all sought his thoughtful guidance and expertise when fixing or building things. Whether a simple plumbing or wiring fix or a major renovation, when the inevitable challenge arose, Eric was always ready to help contribute to a solution.

In addition to helping friends and family with challenging projects, Eric volunteered in his communities serving in various leadership roles on the board of the Ruback’s Grove Campers Association on Galway Lake and later on the board of the Loon Lake Park District.

Eric is survived by his wife of 57 years, Kathy, and his children whom he was very proud of:  Michelle Krawiecki (Brian) and Keith Lauritzen (Karen) and his grandchildren, Ty Lauritzen, Megan Lauritzen, and Courtney Krawiecki.  He treasured spending time with his family, often quietly taking in the experience and reflecting upon the life he had built.

Since Eric took such great satisfaction in helping others with their projects, in lieu of flowers or donations, Eric would appreciate you lending a helping hand with a task or project for someone else.

According to Eric's one request, his final resting place will be at the Saratoga National Cemetery. In recognition of Eric's reserved demeanor and appreciation for time spent together with family and friends, a celebration of life will be held at Loon Lake in Chestertown this summer.

Please visit www.alexanderfh.net for online condolences and guest book.

 

A Memorial Tree was planted for Eric
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at Alexander-Baker Funeral Home
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Eric Lauritzen

In Loving Memory

Eric Lauritzen

1941 - 2025

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