Eric Moreis died on March 12 after a 14-month battle with cancer, taking his final breath in the comfort of his home in Wareham with his beloved wife Cindi at his side.

He was just 64 years old.

Eric was born Feb. 20, 1960, on Martha’s Vineyard to Raymond and Sybil Moreis. Eric was one of 10 children: Raymond, Eloise, Celeste, Keith, Vanessa, Courtney, Carla, Patricia and Lisa.

He grew up in Oak Bluffs surrounded by his very large family. His Mom was one of the nine Gonsalves children and his Dad was one of the 15 Moreis/Araujo children.

Growing up there were kids to play with, fight with, plot mischief with and get into trouble with. It was a family with lots of love and laughter, as well as arguments, tears and, if you know any of them, plenty of drama.

In high school Eric focused on culinary arts and being a volunteer member of the Oak Bluffs Fire Department. He graduated from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in 1979.

After graduation he attended Johnson & Wales continuing his culinary journey. When he returned to the Island, he worked for Anthony’s Restaurant in Oak Bluffs and picked up where he left off with the fire department.

In 1988 he married his wife Cindi, and they moved across the state so she could attend college at UMass Amherst. There Eric continued to pursue his two chosen careers. He became a Call Force Firefighter with the Town of Amherst. After working a few different cooking jobs, he found a home at Amherst College Food Services. They lived in Amherst for 14 years before moving back to eastern Massachusetts to be closer to family, where they lived in Rochester for several years before moving to their own home in Wareham, where they’ve lived for almost 16 years.

Unfortunately, Eric experienced ongoing health issues for most of his adult life. He survived more surgeries than one person should have, endured more tests and procedures than you want to count, and spent more time in Boston hospitals than he liked. He survived kidney failure, had four of his joints replaced, and major heart surgeries during the pandemic, yet managed to avoid getting Covid while his wife got it twice.

In August 2022, Eric finally got his second knee replacement which he’d waited 13 years for, and with his heart issues under control his health was on an upswing and long-awaited plans were being made. Sadly, right before Christmas of the same year Eric was diagnosed with advanced stage liver cancer and a fleeting 14 months later, he was gone.

A fighter until the end, he defied the odds repeatedly. Eric weathered more than one person should be expected to take and he did it with a smile, with kindness and concern for others, including immense appreciation for the doctors, nurses and all the other medical professionals who cared for him over the years. He saw some of them so often he considered them friends.

Eric loved his family above all. He was a proud member of the Aquinnah Wampanoags. He loved working as a firefighter and helping others. He loved nature, especially the ocean (he’d collect little shells and stones from the beach). He loved watching the birds that came to the house (he’d point out this one little brown bird he said followed him from Rochester). He loved cats (he’d had two: Max and Conrad). He took great pictures of nature (lots and lots of pictures).

He loved to travel and hated that he couldn’t do more because of his health. He loved taking rides, sometimes sitting down by Canal Railroad Bridge just watching whatever passed by. He loved listening to music (sometimes really loud). He said people liked to hear his tunes on their way into whatever store he was sitting outside of while his wife ran errands.

He loved talking to people, and people loved talking to him. He loved shows of his favorite things: firefighting, travel, nature, cooking, weather and the news. He really loved a good steak and cheese sub.

Eric’s personality was larger than life. He had an infectious laugh, a huge heart, was fiercely loyal and protective of the people whom he loved, as well as compassionate, caring and kind. He was always willing to lend a hand to others. He was a truly wonderful and loving man.

Eric is predeceased by his father, Raymond J. Moreis Sr., and is survived by his wife Cindi (Governo) Moreis, his cherished mother Sybil (Gonsalves) Moreis, his brothers Raymond Moreis, Keith Moreis (wife Janine) and Courtney Moreis; his sisters Eloise Boales (husband Jim), Celeste Ventura (husband John), Vanessa Ventura, Carla Johnson, Patricia Moreis and Lisa Roberts (husband David); his father-in-law and mother-in-law Michael and Dianne Governo; brother-in-law Michael Governo; sister-in-law April Warren; and last but not least, by many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins as well as many friends.

His family is grateful to know Eric is finally at peace, no longer in pain, no longer suffering, no longer struggling to overcome another medical condition. He will be missed more than words can say.

Services will be held on Saturday, April 20 at 10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church of Martha’s Vineyard in Oak Bluffs. A graveside gathering will follow at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Oak Bluffs.