A Celebration in Memoriam for January 11, 1951-January 24, 1998, Erik Anthony Takulan, Saturday, January 31, 1998, four o'clock P.M, Oak Hill Funeral Home, Chapel of the Roses, 300 Curtner Avenue, San Jose, CA

A Celebration in Memoriam
for
January I I, 1951 - January 24, 1998 ERIK ANTHONY TAKULAN
Saturday, January 31, 1998 Four o'clock P.M.
Oak Hill Funeral Home Chapel of the Roses 300 Curtner Avenue San Jose, CA

Found among Erik,s papers,,,
"At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong so as to know whether I merited Heaven or Hell when I die. He was out there sort of like the President, I recognized His picture when I saw it but I really didn't know Him.
But later on when I recognized my higher power it seemed as though Life was rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike and I noticed That God was in back helping me pedal. I don't know when it was that He suggested that we change places, but life has not been the same since, life with my Higher Power, that is. God Makes Life Exciting!
When I had control I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains and Through rocky places and at breakneck speeds; it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He said: 'Pedal!'.
I worried and was anxious and asked: 'Where are you taking me?' He laughed and didn't answer and I started to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I'd say: 'I'm scared', He'd lean back and touch my hand. He took me to people with gifts that I needed; gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey, God's and mine, and we were off again. He said: 'Give the gifts away, they're extra baggage, too much weight'. So I did, to the people I met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.
I did not trust Him at first, in control of my life, I thought He'd wreck lt. But He knows bike secrets ....knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear high rocks, fly to shorten scary passages.
I am now learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places. I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, my Higher Power. And when I'm sure I just can't do any more, He just smiles and says: 'Pedal!'.
(Keep Pedaling!)

Memorial Service

Organ Prelude

Alexander W. Jackson

Prayer

Gaynelle Alexander

Elks Lodge

Los Gatos BPOE # 1857

Solo - 'Amazing Grace' Melver Tinsley

Words of Remembrance Frank Barnes Bez Moghadan

Piano Solo

Chris Robinson

Scripture

Jan Washington

Isaiah: Chapter 41 : I0

Solo - '0 Lord Most Holy' Melver Tinsley

Benediction

Recessional

Erik Anthony Takulan
January I I, 1951 -January 24, 1998
Erik Anthony Takulan, born in Atlanta, Georgia, was the son of Mrs. Mary
Parks Washington of Campbell, California and the late Samuel L. Washington.
The Washingtons moved to Campbell in 1958, where he entered the third grade at Cherry Lane Elementary School. Between the ages of nine and eleven, Erik created a cartoon called "Ernie" for the Campbell Press, a local newspaper.
During his high school years he became an avid reader and researcher, a skilled ventriloquist, puppeteer and an athlete. At the age of 15, Erik had a dream that prompted him to want to change his last name from "Washington" to "Takulan", (Ethiopian for Wolf). His parents agreed to his dream, with the condition that he would wait until he was twenty-one to finalize his decision...and he did. Resolute and persevering, one of his favorite expressions was..."Don't Ever Give Up!"
Erik entered Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, his father's alma mater...deciding a year later to transfer to San Jose State University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He was also a track coach working with the youth in Santa Clara Valley during his tenure at San Jose State.
Fluent in German, Erik carved a career as a fee-lance journalist,writing scripts and screen plays for movies. He was a member of the "Writers Guild of America West" and the Los Gatos chapter of the Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks.
In an unpublished article, dated April 26, 1994, he observed: "Though it has been my goal to write and eventually produce motion pictures, I have always sought to subtly weave a political and/or sociological messages into stories. By disguising films as 'entertainment', one can reach a vast audience and influence subconsciously, their way of thinking".

Erik Anthony Takulan
January II, 1951 -January 24, 1998
In April 1997, Erik was an artist-in-residence in the Carl Djerassi Resident Artist Program in Woodside, California, where he was honored
as the 'highest rated playwright I screenwriter' by the Executive Director,
Charles Amirkhanian. In a letter from the Director, he stated that Erik's presence was invaluable, "As we had one artist-in-residence who spoke only German, we were fortunate to have Mr. Takulan present as the only other artist who was able to converse with him".
In May of 1997, the Santa Clara California Triton Museum presented an exhibition: A Visual Heritage 1945-1980. by Bay Area African American Artists. A catalog was published under the same title, which includes an article by Erik entitled, "Black Artists of the San Francisco Bay Area-- A History in Brief'.
On Saturday evening, January I0, 1998, Erik, uncharacteristically, failed to return home after announcing that he would be "right back". Two weeks later, on January 24, 1998, he and his car was found in a Percolation Pond near his home.
Erik is survived by his mother, Mary Parks Washington, sister, Jan Washington, of Campbell, California, grandmother, Hattie M. Parks, uncle and aunt, Dr. Frances and Hattiemarie Parks Davis, uncle and aunt, Steven and Bettielane Parks Daniels of Atlanta. Georgia; aunt, Dr. Yvonne Parks Catchings of Detroit, Michigan; cousins, Freda Parks of Seaside, California, Don Parks and Ron Parks of San Jose, California.
Erik's light shines on...........
In the lives of those he touched !

Erik was always fond of animals and especially dogs and cats. He often cared for the animals of his neighbors.
For those who have inquired: In lieu of ffowers, the family respectfully requests contributions to:
Unda Miller Foster Home for pets. This fund will be established by 3/ I198. Contact Maty Washington after March I st for fund information.... (408) 378-6701

Acknowledgement
Mary Parks Washington and Jan Washington gratefully acknowledge and appreciate our many friends and neighbors for the numerous
expressions of sympathy and love.
Immediately following the service, friends and family are invited to the home
of Mary and jan Washington:
746 Emory Avenue Campbell, CA
(408) 378-670 I

(Erik has been found. His service will be:
Saturday: January 31, 1998
Oak Hill Funeral Home .300 Curtner Avenue
San Jose, California 95125 (408) 297-2447)

--.... , .
~ .

Campbell
man leaves no trace

BY MICHAEL CRONK
Mercury News Staff Writer

Campbell police are looking for leads in the disappearance of a 47-year-old man who left h.is house last Saturday night to
make a short trip to the store then promptly dropped out of sight

The disappearance of Erik An-

thony Takulan is
"a very suspi-
cious" missingpersons case,
said detective Kelly Bybee of the Campbell Police Department

"He left his

Takulan

home at 9 p.m.

and mentioned to one of his relatives that he was

going to the store and would be

right back He took his car " Bybee said. "He's never befo~e left

for an extended period without

at least notifying a friend or relative."

An unmarried freelance and

screenplay writer, Takulan was

reported missing by his family on

Sunday - his birthday. He also

failed that day to attend a get-

together at a friend's house to

watch a football game.

Takulan had been disappointed over a recent business deal that didn't work out and was more solemn and reserved than usual because of it, Bybee said. But, he added, there was no indication that Takulan was in a deep depression.
Relatives have been canvassing places that he frequented. All his clothes are at his house and there has been no activity on his credit and bank accounts since he disappeared, according to Bybee.
His name and the description of his car have been put into a national computer system for tracking missing persons.
Takulan's car is a gray 1989 Ford Taurus with the licenseplate munber 2LUH936.
He is described as a light-
skinned African-American, 6 feet, 175 pounds, with a lean physique, short black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a darkblue wool jacket, tan pants, brown loafers and a gray-green cap.
"He speaks with a very distinctive radio announcer-type voice," Bybee said.
Anyone with information on Takulan's whereabouts is asked to call Bybee at the Campbell Police Department, (408) 866-2101.

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS. Local~ SATURDAY. JANUARY 17. 1998
Eric is the son of Mary Parks Washington and the late Samuel L. Washington.

Services set for Campbell .man

Mercury \" ews Staff Report
A memorial service will be conducted today for Erik Anthony Takulan, a Campbell screenwriter who drowned in a percolation pond near the San Tomas Expressway in Can1pbell.
Mr. Takulan disappeared Jan. 10, when he left home to drive to a store, and his body was not discovered until last Saturday, along with his submerged car.
He was a native of Atlanta who grew up in Santa Clara Valley and graduated from Campbell High School before a year at Morehouse College in Atlanta.
He finished his education in

Born: Jan. 11, 1951, Atlanta, Ga. Died: Jan. 24, 1998, Campbell, Calif. Survived by: Mother, Mary Parks Washington of Campbell; sister, Jan Washington of Campbell; grandmother, Hettie Parks of Atlanta; uncles and aunts, Francis and Hattiemarie Davis of Atlanta, Steven and Betty Daniels of Atlanta, Yvonne Catchings of Detroit; cousins, Frieda Parks of Seaside, Calif., Don and Ron Parks of San Jose. Services: Memorial at 4 p.m. Saturday at Oak Hill Funeral Home's Chapel of Roses, 300 Curtner Ave., San Jose. Memorial: A trust account is being established to benefit Linda Miller's Hope for Animals.
political science at San Jose State University, said his mother; Macy Parks Washington, an aitist who has had many exhibits in the valley.

A legal name-change turned Erik Washington into Erik Takulan, which means "non-threatening wolf' in Ethiopian. A year ago, Mr. Takulan was selected to be an artist in residence at the Djerassi Resident Artists Program near Woodside, which provides residencies and studio space for artists in the visual arts, literature, choreography and music. Carl Djerassi invented the birth-control pill.
And in May, Mr. Takulan wrote the histocy for "A Visual Heritage, 1945 to '80, Bay Area African American Artists," an exhibit at the Triton Museum in Santa Clara
As a 9-year-old, Erik Takulan was the cartoonist for the Campbell Press weekly newspaper, and he always supplied his strip, "Ernie," 10 weeks in advance, his mother said.
Mr. Takulan was also a puppeteer and ventriloquist.

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS . Local SATURDAY. JANUARY 31 . 1998