Eric Skogman, most recently the editorial director of Minnesota Snowmobiling magazine and a past editor of Snow Goer, Snow Week, ATV Magazine and Watercraft World, died Wednesday after a 3-plus year battle with a rare form of cancer. He was 41.
Raised in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Skogman graduated from Eden Prairie High School in 1988 and earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from St. Cloud State University. After a stint with a homebuilder, Skogman was hired at Ehlert Publishing Group in December 1997 as an associate editor for Snow Goer, Snowmobile Magazine and Snow Week. He later was promoted to managing editor of Snow Goer and Snow Week, and then lead editor.
Always an adventurous spirit, Skogman left the snowmobile group in 2004 to become lead editor of Watercraft World magazine for a year, then ATV Magazine before leaving Ehlert Publishing in December 2005 to join DeWitt Publishing as editor of five regional trade magazines within the automotive market. In 2007, he returned to the snowmobile market as editorial director for Midwest Sports Publishing Network and its Minnesota Snowmobiling and Minnesota Off-Road publications. He has also served as a researcher for the ESPN Winter X Games for the past three years.
Eric was diagnosed in March 2008 with a malignant tumor in his abdomen called liposarcoma. A large mass was surgically removed soon thereafter, but sadly the cancer re-grew and Eric put up a tough, inspiring fight to try to beat it; enduring more than 25 chemotherapy treatments over the course of 30 months. When a doctor recently hesitated to give Eric an experimental chemotherapy, Eric said, “Give it to me. I ain’t got nothing to lose.” That’s a testament of how hard Eric fought.
Through all of those treatments, one would never know how difficult of a battle Eric was going through. His attitude was amazingly upbeat and if anything, he “turned it up” and lived a full life. Eric played golf, rode snowmobiles and ATVs, traveled cross-country on his motorcycle to watch games in Major League ballparks, laughed, smiled and worked. Eric’s friends enjoyed his positive attitude, quick wit and mischievous smile.
While Eric’s many friends from high school, college and the powersports industry lost a wonderful friend and fighter yesterday, we will gather this Saturday, April 23, for the Eric Skogman Benefit and Celebration at Tuttle’s Bowling Bar & Grill in Hopkins, Minnesota. Live music, a silent auction and many of Eric’s friends and family will be there to share stories, salute the positive impact he had on the lives of so many people and raise money for a cause he supported.