A native of Pennsylvania, Eric grew up near Harrisburg and entered the Coast Guard in February 1977. He served in a variety of jobs over the course of his 30 years of service including technical, training and safety specialties. Work in the Coast Guard took Eric to many parts of the world — from the coasts of the lower 48, to Hawaii, Alaska, South America, Asia, and Africa — which spurred his love of travel. After retiring from the Coast Guard in 2007 Eric worked for a short time as a safety consultant and then at Ace Hardware on Bainbridge Island. Eric Matthews and Ruth Blaney were the first couple to be married as part of the newly formed “Grace” community in 1993. Except for the years spent away in the Coast Guard after marrying Ruth, Eric has been an active member at Grace. He has attended many family retreats, was a member of the Grace Flower Team, coordinates the Grace Men’s Group, and has represented Grace at the annual Diocesan Convention for many years. Eric is honored to serve as the Building & Property Manager at Grace.
