Eric John Selser was born in San Jose on November 24, 1970. Cancer took his life, and he passed away at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka on August 27, 2021.

Eric was a lifelong resident of Humboldt County and proud of it. He loved the 49ers and was usually wearing their colors. He was an avid outdoorsman. He loved fishing, camping, river trips, swimming and mycology. He had the greenest thumb and was a fantastic gardener and landscaper. Eric was very active and regularly could be seen riding his bike all over Old Town Eureka, or roller skating/rollerblading, often singing loudly while doing so. He was passionate about music.

At home, he loved to annoy his mom by belting out Pink Floyd at the top of his lungs, repeatedly and often. Eric’s cooking and baking skills were always appreciated by his family as he was quite the home chef, and he cooked for his busy mom several nights a week. Eric was a natural artist, dancer and singer, getting paid to design logos, entertaining family and friends by break dancing, and constantly singing until throat cancer took his voice. He also loved fireworks and would make his own “boom booms” for Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve every year.

Eric was a bit of a troublemaker in his teenage years but got back on track and graduated with honors from Boonville High School in 1988. At 18, Eric loved and helped raise his former girlfriend Shellie Johnston’s son, Joshua Johnston. He never stopped loving them even after their little family parted ways 13 years later.

Quoted from his sister Melissa’s Instagram: “He was a weed smokin’, Pink Floyd lovin’, rule breakin’ wild man. He taught me how to fish, and how to scramble on rocks at the river. You’d never catch him without a 49ers hat on. Roller skating or riding his bike to Old Town for a festival. He played music too loud and sang too loud and pissed people off a lot. I loved his handwriting, and he was a great artist. Full of facts, smart and a smart-ass. He had only one tattoo that read “I Mom.” He died at 50 but lived 100 lives. I’ll miss him so much.”

We will miss him so much.

Eric is survived by his mother Kasha Burton, his father John Selser, his sisters Laura Trevino and Melissa Frei, his nephews Kem Prochko and Mason Trevino, his aunts Loree Adkins and Elizabeth Salisbury, his cousins Martin Delamater, Kevin Salisbury and James Salisbury, and his “father from a previous life” Jerry Basist.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in the name of Eric Selser to the American Cancer Society. A private family celebration of life was held on September 11, 2021.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Eric Selser’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.