Erik Gutshall

Erik Gutshall of Arlington, Virginia, passed away at home on April 16, 2020. He was surrounded by his loving family following a brief but valiant battle with brain cancer. He was 49 years old, only days shy of his 50 th birthday. The youngest son of Lotte and Dennis Gutshall, Erik was born on April 28, 1970, in Wiesbaden, Germany where his father, a Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force was stationed. As a child, Erik was known for his big smile and outgoing personality. He loved growing up in a military family, visiting his mom's native Denmark, and spending quality time with his dogs. Erik credited his parents with instilling in him the importance of giving back to one's community. These early life lessons shaped the values for which Erik is remembered. He was generous, compassionate and charitable with his friendships; supportive of progressive causes; committed to his adopted hometown of Arlington, VA; and he loved his family whole-heartedly and unconditionally. Erik received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from James Madison University, and a Master's in Environmental and Natural Resource Policy from George Washington University. Erik met his "Sweetie," Renee Michelle Gaspari, while they were pursuing the same environmental degree at GWU. A professor paired them up for a class project on rainforest ecology which marked the beginning of an enduring partnership. Erik and Renee were married for almost 24 years, and the addition of Ava, Marlena, and Adum (born Linden) made their lives complete. Erik was an amazing father and spouse who adored parenthood and prioritized family, believing his wife and children were his greatest gift. Pursuing his love of environmental service, Erik worked on projects for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Navy. On his personal time, Erik rebuilt a Lyon Park Sears bungalow that is now his family's home. Through this experience and his entrepreneurial spirit, he recognized a niche and founded Clarendon Home Services, LLC, in 2003, which won the Arlington Chamber of Commerce Small Service Business of the Year award in 2012. Under Erik's leadership, Clarendon Home Services has grown to serve more than 200 homeowners in Arlington, McLean and surrounding communities. A man blessed with a quick witted sense of humor, a megawatt smile and a love of classic rock, Erik is also an acknowledged titan of civic involvement and volunteerism. From coaching youth soccer, volunteering with the Lyon Park Citizen's Association and Doorways for Women and Children, to serving numerous roles in Arlington County, including the Zoning Committee, Planning Commission, Transportation Commission and additional work groups, Erik has left a lasting mark on Arlington that will endure far into the future. Erik's strategic thinking led him to always "focus on the future," a phrase that captured his outlook and became the theme for his successful 2017 campaign for a seat on the Arlington County Board. Erik was sworn into office as a Member of the Arlington County Board in 2018. He would tell people that this was his dream job because he could focus on the future of Arlington County by committing to strong planning measures, affordable housing, environmental sustainability and equity. He spent parts of his childhood living in multi-family housing, an experience that greatly influenced Erik's livelihood, policy interests, and political career as an adult. At the start of his third year in office, Erik was excited to be elected unanimously as Vice Chair of the County Board and to launch his Missing Middle housing initiative. Tragically, Erik was struck with brain cancer and unfortunately was unable to complete his term. Erik had a love for all things Arlington - from the farmer's markets, libraries, walking the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, biking to work and meetings, trying new restaurants, and taking Wally to the dog parks. Erik loved camping, hanging out with his friends and Lyon Park neighbors, and traveling with his family. He was blessed with recent trips to Denmark, Greece and Italy. Much to the chagrin of his wife, he was absurdly frugal and proudly drove a 1996 (soon to be vintage) pickup truck. Husband, father, brother, son, business owner, County Board Vice Chair, Planning Commissioner, Lyon Park Civic Association President, Doorways for Women and Children Board Member, soccer coach, transit enthusiast, a progressive Democrat and an environmental champion, Erik was a man of many virtues who gave so much to so many. He was grateful for the quality and contentment of his daily life. Erik is survived by his wife Renee, his children Ava, Marlena, Adum; his mother Lotte Gutshall; his brother Peter Gutshall and sister-in-law Sheila Gutshall, his nieces Leah and Kaitlyn Gutshall; his aunt Cheryl Miller of Canal Fulton, Ohio; his uncle Thomas Gutshall of Akron, Ohio; his aunt Britta Hordam of Solrod Strand, Denmark; and many wonderful cousins in the United States and Denmark. To celebrate Erik's life, a memorial service is being held on Sunday, October 4 at Lubber Run Park in Arlington, Virginia. Due to COVID-19, the service will be limited in seating but open to all as a virtual event. To participate, go to: www.eventbrite.com/e/memorial-service-for-erik-gutshall-registration-115932941549 If you want to be a part of Erik's vision, please consider getting involved in your local community or making a donation in his memory to an organization close to his heart: Doorways for Women and Family ( www.doorwaysva.org ) Arlington Democrats ( https://arlingtondemocrats.org/donate/ ) Lyon Park Community Center ( http://lyonpark.info/donate/ ) A memorial fund for Erik's children's higher education expenses has also been established by the community: https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/arlington-county-board-announces-gutshall-memorial-fund/