ERIC JEROME MANKER ENTERED INTO THE WORLD ON MAY 7th, 1959 IN LIVE OAK FLORIDA TO THE PROUD PARENTS OF EDGAR SR. AND FRANCES MANKER. WHICH EDGAR SR. AND SISTER CYNTHIA MANKER HAVE PRECEDED HIM IN DEATH.
ERIC MANKER GRADUATED FROM FOLSOM HIGH SCHOOL IN SACRAMENTO IN 1977. AFTER GRADUATION HE ATTENDED COLLEGE AT CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO BEFORE ENTERING THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SHERIFF’S ACADEMY. ERIC DEDICATED 27 YEARS OF SERVICE TO SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT. ERIC EXCELLED AT HIS CAREER AND WORKED MANY SPECIALIZED ASSIGNMENTS, INCLUDING GANG DETAIL, NARCOTICS AND EVEN UNDERCOVER WORK BEFORE RETIRING AS A SERGEANT IN 2008. ERIC ACCEPTED CHRIST AT AN EARLY AGE AND REDEDICATED HIS LIFE IN 1996 AND SERVED AS A SPORTS MINISTRY COACH AND REFEREE FOR THE SPORTS MINISTRY PROGRAM AT LOVELAND CHURCH FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN.
WHEN ERIC WASN’T INVESTIGATING MAJOR CRIMES, HE DEVOTED HIS TIME TO HIS TRUE PASSION, RAISING HIS THREE SONS DION, DEVIN, AND DARRIEN. ERIC COACHED NEARLY ALL OF HIS SONS’ SPORTS TEAMS FROM YOUTH AGE ALL THE WAY TO HIGH SCHOOL. ERIC MADE SURE TO WORK OVERNIGHT AND SACRIFICED SLEEP DURING THE DAY IN ORDER TO BE PRESENT DURING HIS SONS’ SPORTING EVENTS. ONCE ERIC RETIRED, HE BEGAN TO COACH FULL TIME. ERIC WAS A JACK OF ALL TRADES, WHICH ALLOWED HIM TO COACH BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL AS WELL AS TRACK AND FIELD. ERIC HELD COACHING TENURES AT CAJON HIGH SCHOOL, SANTIAGO HIGH SCHOOL AND FINISHED HIS LAST DAYS AT CARTER HIGH SCHOOL. MANY OF ERIC’S ATHLETES WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN FULL SCHOLARSHIPS TO COLLEGE, AND A FEW WERE ABLE TO PLAY PROFESSIONAL SPORTS. ALL OF WHICH WOULD SAY ERIC LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION THAT CHANGED THEIR LIVES FOREVER.
ERIC WAS A TRUE GIVER AND ALWAYS PUT OTHERS OVER HIMSELF. EVERY YEAR WHEN ASKED WHAT HE WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS, ERIC WOULD RESPOND, “I JUST WANT TO SEE SMILES ON ALL MY CHILDRENS’ FACES,”. ERIC’S HOME WAS ALWAYS OPEN TO ANYONE IN NEED, FROM TROUBLED TEENS TO FAMILY MEMBERS GOING THROUGH COLLEGE. AND IF YOU GREW UP ON CYPRESS STREET, YOU KNEW HIS HOUSE WAS ALWAYS STOCKED WITH SNACKS AND DRINKS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS.
ERIC WAS AN AVID GOLFER AND SPENT MANY OF HIS DAYS WALKING THE GOLF COURSE WITH AT LEAST ONE OF HIS SONS, NEPHEWS OR FRIENDS. ERIC WOULD GIVE LESSONS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ROUND, NOT ONLY GOLF LESSONS BUT LIFE LESSONS TO ANYONE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HEAR HIS WORDS.
Eric leaves behind to continue his legacy his Mom Frances Manker. Sons Dion Thompson, Devin Manker (Rania), Darrien Manker (Tatiana), Grandson Enzo Manker. Brother’s Jewell Manker (Vrai), Edgar Manker Jr. Sister Sylvia Manker, Nieces Shauntelle Senkungu (TQ), Khianna Manker. He also leaves behind a mother in law, Margie Watkins and a host of sisters & brothers in law, aunts, cousins and friends who loved him deeply.
