Eric Day Werthman passed away in Maine on Saturday, Sept. 10th, 2022 at the age of 81. He was in the presence of his wife and partner of 54 years, Polly Howells. In addition to Polly, he is survived by two sons, Nick and Jesse, their wives Audrey Wallace and Alessandra De Almeida, and four granddaughters: Elinor, Alice, Emilia and Pina. For 50 years he was a fixture for many in the community of Park Slope, Brooklyn, and for the last 18 years he and Polly developed a deep connection with friends and neighbors in the mid-Hudson Valley.
During the course of a well-lived life, Eric was a Gestalt Psychotherapist for 38 years, produced and directed two feature films — Going Under (2004) and The Drummer (2020) — and was a life-long activist for political causes in which he deeply believed. He sat in at a lunch counter in Kingston NY when he was a student at Bard in the late 1950’s. He went to Mississippi in Freedom Summer, 1964, to register voters. He marched against the Vietnam War, for abortion rights, and against fracking, in addition to many other causes. In recent years as a member of Woodstock Transition he was involved in expanding local access to solar power and developing an innovative project to install community heat pumps in the village.Â
Above all, though, Eric was a loving husband, a dedicated father, and a fun and energetic grandfather. His varied intellectual, artistic, and political pursuits continue to be an inspiration to his friends and family, and his family was the foundation for the rich and varied life he lived. He made connections wherever he went and touched all those he met. He will be missed by all who knew him.
There will be a Memorial Service at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 W. 64th Street Manhattan on October 9 at 2:00. Donations in Eric’s name can be sent to movementvoterproject.org.
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