Eric Craig Filcoff

With both sadness and peace, we announce the passing of Eric Craig Filcoff, a loyal and loving father, husband, brother, and son. Eric peacefully passed away at home, surrounded by love, on April 17, 2026. He fought courageously for two years, never losing his sense of humor and finding ways to keep riding bikes until the end.

Eric was born on April 15, 1981 in St. Louis, Missouri to Christine and Richard Filcoff, the youngest of three children. He spent his childhood building things, destroying things, riding bikes, and going on many family road trips. He attended the University of Missouri, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2004. He spent the majority of his career as a graphic designer at the University of Missouri with the Wellness Resource Center and Partners in Prevention. At work, he was known for his kindness, creativity, and practical jokes. He met his wife, Jeni at the Wellness Resource Center in 2006. They married in 2012 (yes, she gave him a hard time about taking 5.5 years to propose) in South Lake Tahoe and made their way across the country, living in California and Colorado, before settling in Cary, North Carolina. They built a strong and loving community in Cary and raised two incredible children together, Oliver (10) and Ivy (6). Eric was a devoted father who found so much joy in being a dad. Oliver and Ivy will remember their Dad’s affinity for Lego, music and conversations in the car, riding bikes together, and all the ridiculous ways he made them laugh.

Eric touched countless lives with his kind heart, caring nature, and humor. He approached the world with curiosity and unmatched creativity, always thinking deeply, and seeking new ways to understand something or to find a better way. He was a quiet and laidback man, with a wry sense of humor, and truly the easiest person to be around. He showed unwavering loyalty to those he loved, making him the most wonderful friend, husband, and father.

Eric was always happiest on his bike, especially if that bike was on some dirt. Every stage of his life was defined by the bikes and trails he rode. He built his community and his closest connections on the trails. He was always up for an adventure and felt pure joy on his rides (except maybe for some of the wrecks…). If he couldn’t be on a bike, he would still want to be on a trail - hiking. The mountains of Lake Tahoe, Colorado and North Carolina were among the favorites, along with every National Park he visited. All Eric needed was some dirt, some elevation, and a decent view, and he was happy.

He also had a passion for cars – working on them, shopping for them, and knowing every little detail about them. He loved to drive and loved long road trips – leading to many disagreements with Jeni about a reasonable length of a road trip. Whether it was all the way across Kansas or up the Pacific Coast Highway, he loved to be behind the wheel, with music playing. Eric had a love for music - it was rare that he was in a room or a car without music in the background. He shared that love of music with Ivy and Oliver, introducing them to everything from Jackson Brown to Weird Al Yankovitch. Eric loved life and all it had to offer through nature, movement, and exploration.

Eric leaves behind a legacy of love, strength, and adventure. He will be deeply missed and always remembered with warmth and joy. To learn more about Eric's story, check out dropcancer.org 

Eric is survived by his wife Jeni Shannon Filcoff and his children, Oliver and Ivy of Cary, North Carolina, his parents, Rick and Chris Filcoff of Chesterfield, Missouri, his brother David Filcoff (Rachel) of Melbourne, Australia, his sister Jen Dawson (Craig) of Castle Rock, Colorado, as well as so many beloved nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts, cousins, in-laws, and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 3:00 PM at Campbell Lodge in Durant Nature Preserve in Raleigh, NC, with a reception to follow. Please RSVP by May 3 if you plan to attend: rsvp.filcoff.com.  In lieu of flowers, you are invited to contribute to a bench and bike work stand in Eric’s memory that will be placed trailside in Umstead State Park and Harris Lake County Park, respectively (spot.fund/HonoringEric) or to make a donation to the Appendix Cancer Research Foundation (acpmp.org).