Eric L. McKinstry, 22, was reunited with his loved ones in Heaven on June 23, 2020. He was born in Akron, Ohio on March 15, 1998 to parents April Uhl (Ramey) and Eric McKinstry. Eric attended Green High School where he was a scholar athlete, lettering in many sports and achieving honor roll recognition since middle school. He then attended Ohio University, Baldwin Wallace and Akron University. Eric was also a member of Reco rehabilitation center in Florida, later on moving to Sober Living.

Eric would like to think he was the man, the myth, the legend! He was very full of passion and determination, and was absolutely relentless when it came to something he set his mind to. Eric’s talents consisted of selling you your own shirt off your own back, and negotiating his way out of everything. He was also very persistent; in fact he is the only person we know that enrolled and transferred to 3 different colleges within one week. He never wanted to settle down and was always going after something he wanted to achieve. Eric’s true passions were being athletic, exploring new places, the beach, and being outdoors. He loved, and excelled, at football, lacrosse, basketball, track, and snowboarding. He also loved riding dirt bikes, 4-wheelers, and skateboards. Anything with adventure he was game.

Eric was one of the smartest, most talented and devoted people we have ever known. He has achieved so much in his short 22 years of life. He has received so many awards, ribbons, trophies and plaques. But, if he could tell you, he would say his greatest accomplishment of all would be his daughter, who was the absolute light of his life. She was his life. He fought with every ounce of his soul to be the greatest man he could be for her.
Eric also fought hard to make people proud of him, especially his mom. He would deny it, but as most already know, he was a Mama’s boy. His mother could not be more proud of him. He gave it his all and that is all she could ask for. Eric had a smile that lit up the room, a heart of gold, was a friend to everyone he met, and had a willingness to always help others. He developed a relationship with the Lord and wanted to be a faithful Christian. He was an all-around kind, funny, loving guy and he will be desperately missed. Although Eric’s passing left people with so many questions, the most important has been answered - Eric has been reunited with his loved ones in Heaven.

He is preceded in death by grandfather, Ward Ramey; grandmother, Rita Jones; grandfather, Oscar McKinstry; uncle, Buddy Ramey; and cousin, Christian Ramey. Eric is survived by his daughter, Willow McKinstry; parents, April (Ramey) and Jason Uhl, and Eric (Sherry) McKinstry; grandparents, Lesha and Greg Reed, Debbie Ramey, and Wilma Butler; siblings, Alysa McKinstry, Logan Uhl and Rowan Uhl; aunts and uncles, Curtis and Chrissy Ramey, Jessica (Ramey) and David Pitzo, and Amber Reed; special friends, Cameryn King and Kyle Cutright; cousins, Cody Riley, Curtis Ramey, Clayton Ramey, Savannah Owens, Breyton Owens, Kelsie Owens, Bethany Owens, Cameron Ramey and Triston Pitzo; and many more family and friends.

We invite you to attend visitation hours on Sunday, July 5 from 12pm-2pm & 4pm-6pm at Newcomer Funeral Home, 131 N. Canton Rd., Akron, OH 44305. Funeral services for close family and friends at 1:00pm on Monday July 6, also at the funeral home. Eric would have asked for us all to celebrate his life, and if you or someone you love is having issues with addiction or depression, he would have wanted you to reach out for help.