Vandercar ‘Wanted to Make the World a Better Place’
Hundreds of friends, family and colleagues packed into Temple Shaaray Tefila in Bedford Friday afternoon to say their final goodbyes to Eric Vandercar, one of six victims who died in Tuesday’s Metro-North tragedy in Valhalla.
With the large gathering, many were forced to watch the service via live stream from a social hall adjacent to the sanctuary as friends and family shared stories of the 53-year-old investment banker, who grew up in Poughkeepsie.
A graduate of the Wharton School of Business, he had two degrees in business and engineering and an MBA from NYU. He married his wife, Jill, whom he met on a blind date, in 1995. They moved to Bedford shortly after the birth of their first child.
Those who knew Vandercar best characterized him as a person who loved to work hard and play hard and as someone who was always ready for an adventure. In the weeks before his death, Vandercar had traveled to Florida with his family, as well as to Jamaica and New Orleans to see concerts. He also took his son to a hockey game.
Vandercar’s son, Jake, and daughter Sadie spoke at the hour-long service and recalled fond memories of their father taking them skiing in Utah every February, coaching soccer games and taking them to the movies. In his eulogy, Jake Vandercar said that one of the things he would miss most about his father would be running to give him a hug when he came home from work each day.
“[He] was one of the most extraordinary people to ever walk this earth and life is going to be extremely hard without [him], he said.
An avid music lover, Vandercar attended hundreds of live shows by his favorite bands, including moe. and the Grateful Dead, and recorded most performances to build an extensive library of music. He was an avid audiophile, according to one friend, who noted that Vandercar never listened to MP3s because he felt the quality wasn’t the same.
Other friends remarked on Vandercar’s dedication and love, noting that he was always available to talk when someone was going through a hard time or when they wanted to celebrate. He loved to work with his hands, building a deck on his parents’ home and creating a special charging station for his Tesla car.
“Eric was just so soft-spoken and was the kindest person, really down to his inner core. He touched the lives of so many people,” said Vandercar’s brother-in-law. “We all should learn from Eric; he wanted to make the world a better place and he did.”
Examiner Media – Keeping you informed with professionally-reported local news, features, and sports coverage.
