LITTLE FALLS - Mr. Eric P. Karpowich, age 54, a lifelong Little Falls resident, passed away on Friday January 10, 2014 in Little Falls, NY. Eric was born on January 20, 1959 to Adie and Emma Karpowich, and was predeceased by them. He joined them on Friday, January 10th, 2014, 10 days before his 55th birthday. A lifelong resident of Little Falls, NY, he leaves behind and will be terribly missed by brother Dave and his wife Debbie of Greece, NY, and his loving nieces Kristen Snyder with husband Curt in Spencerport, NY, and Lindsey Karpowich with Barry Burst in Philadelphia, PA. He also leaves behind several cousins, and many many friends and acquaintances he made through the years here. He attended St. Mary's Academy through junior high, and then on to Little Falls High School, graduating with the class of 1977. Eric attended HCCC, and found his calling in a leadership position at an ARC of Herkimer County home in Little Falls for many years. Eric always had a passion for sports, competing at an early age in basketball, football and baseball, which was his real love. His favorite teams included the Lakers, Rams, the Oakland A's and of course the NY Mets. Eric, along with friends and family, enjoyed themselves during many trips to NYC to see the Mets and Yankees over the years. He excelled in baseball, starting in Minor and Little League, and up through Babe Ruth League, American Legion and on to high school at Little Falls. The highlight of his Little League years was the perfect game he pitched for the Little Falls Little League All Stars in the Ilion Tournament in August 1971 over local rivals St. Johnsville. It was the only perfect game in the history of that long standing tournament, and is still talked about in many circles and with Tournament officials as the finest game ever pitched there. But it also took the whole team to win the game. His fine pitching continued through Babe Ruth baseball, and into high school, where he threw several more no hitters, including one in the 1976 Class C Sectionals against Adirondack, with Little Falls eventually going on to become Class C Sectional Champions. Eric would be the first to tell you that it was a team effort to win that game. That was how he carried himself through athletics, and through life. It wasn't about him….it always took a team to win. Eric also had an outstanding career in football, but his real love was baseball. Eric was able to assist close friends with coaching basketball and baseball to the up and coming young athletes in Little Falls for many years. Many children benefitted from his coaching, learning the finer points of the game, but always taking away the most important thing - that the game is and should be fun. Although he never married and had children of his own, he took tremendous pride in his nieces Kristen and Lindsey. Cards, letters, and the ever present lotto tickets were always in their mailboxes. And although they never won the "big one", it was the thought that counted. Eric had a heart as big as the sky, and he was able to overcome challenges that life gave him…when life threw him lemons, he made lemonade, as they say. He helped many of the needy, making life better for people in many places later in life. Even in death, he is still helping people. Eric's wish was that his remains be donated to the SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, with the hope that research will benefit others. In lieu of a memorial service, please join us for a gathering at the DeCarlo Staffo Post #8, Loomis Street extension on Saturday March 1st, 2014 from 6 pm to 9 pm. Friends are asked to bring old pictures, and are encouraged to tell stories about time spent with Eric. In addition, a scholarship in Eric's name is being created by long time friends Mark Zysk and Mark Feane, to be given each year to the high school baseball player who embodies Eric's love of the game. Contributions to this will also be accepted at the event on March 1st, and additional information is available by calling Mark Zysk at 315-823-1141 or Mark Feane at 315-823-3623. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Enea Family Funeral Home, 24 West Monroe Street, Little Falls, NY, Harry & Kevin Enea, Funeral Directors. Anyone wishing to share a memory of Eric, or add to his online memorial, may go to: www.eneafamily.com