Erik William Govert

CHAPEL HILL – Erik Govert, age 23, passed away on January 9, 2021. He was born on October 4, 1997 in Columbia, MD to John and Janine Govert. After being diagnosed with autism at the age of three, Erik was tutored at home throughout his pre-school, elementary and middle school years. He also spent two years in Chapel Hill public schools and two years at a local special needs private school before entering Chapel Hill High School in 2015. He graduated from Chapel Hill High School in the Spring of 2020. Erik passed away after suffering a seizure and drowning in a pond at the family farm in Virginia.

Erik cherished being around people he knew and loved. He enjoyed going to high school and being with his classmates and the special needs teachers at CHHS who took such good care of him. He had a ball taking long walks through the woods with his Mom and the family dog Brees, while also taking pleasure in wearing his Dad out during fast walks around the neighborhood. He absolutely loved mountain biking with his Mom. He tried almost every sport offered by the wonderful people at the Special Olympics branch in Orange County, NC, but his two favorites were Wednesday afternoon golf and shooting baskets in the driveway. He loved (maybe tolerated?) going to his brother’s football, basketball, and literally hundreds of baseball games in the southern heat. Most recently, he enjoyed attending his sister’s field hockey and jump rope practices/competitions. He loved reading programs on his iPad, along with music tastes that ranged from Blue’s Clues jingles to country music, classic rock, and Christmas songs at all times of year. He loved going to “the farm” on Saturdays with his Dad and Uncle Joe, followed by attending “Church in Church Clothes” on Saturday evening. He loved almost any TV program…from tear-jerker Hallmark movies with Mom and Alexandra to football games and war movies with Dad and his brothers. What was important was just being around people. Maybe more than anything, Erik really loved going the pool in the hot summer with his Mom, or better yet the beach, where he would spend hours jumping in the waves.

Erik brought peace, joy, and cheerfulness to those around him. He was humble, did anything that was asked of him, sometimes with a mischievous smile. We will always love him more than we can say.

Erik is survived by his parents John and Janine, his brothers Daniel and Andrew, his sister Alexandra, his Grandmother Marina Govert of Chapel Hill, NC and his Grandmother Mary Ann Kuzmic of Eagle, CO. Erik is also survived by 22 aunts and uncles, and 24 first cousins.


A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, January 18th, 2021 at 11:00 AM at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Chapel Hill, NC. Doors will open at 9:45-10:15 for close friends and family with open casket visitation in the STM courtyard. Fr Bill Robinson will conduct a short vigil service along with sharing remembrances from 10:15-10:45. Mass will begin at 11:00 AM. Funeral procession to burial service at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens on Rt 86 in Chapel Hill directly follows the Mass. For those in attendance, you are required to social distance and wear a face covering. The Mass will also be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/stmchapelhill; the livestream will begin at 10:50. A Facebook account is not needed for viewing the Mass.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Orange County branch of the Special Olympics of North Carolina. Their website is https://sonc.net/local-programs/orange-county/