Eric Maurice: Sheryl Lee Ralph’s First Husband, Career, and Family
Have you ever heard the name Eric Maurice and wondered who he really is? Many people know him as Sheryl Lee Ralph’s first husband and the father of her two children. But there is more to his story than that connection.
Eric Maurice has spent much of his life away from the entertainment spotlight. While Sheryl Lee Ralph built a major career on stage and screen, Maurice followed a different path in business. He later co-founded 1515 DESIGN, a company that supplies commercial food equipment to restaurants, grocery stores, and other food businesses across North America.
In this article, we will explore Eric Maurice’s story in a simple and friendly way. You will learn about his marriage to Sheryl Lee Ralph, their children, his earlier work, his business career, and the family connection that continues today. Let’s start from the beginning.
Eric Maurice Quick Bio
| Full Name | Eric Maurice |
| Known For | Sheryl Lee Ralph’s first husband |
| Career | Businessman and co-founder of 1515 DESIGN |
| Earlier Work | Dealer in African art and textiles |
| Former Spouse | Sheryl Lee Ralph |
| Marriage | 1990 to 2001 |
| Children | Etienne Maurice and Ivy Coco Maurice |
| Business Founded | 1515 DESIGN, co-founded in 2010 |
Who Is Eric Maurice?
Eric Maurice is a businessman who came to wider fame through his marriage to actress and singer Sheryl Lee Ralph. Ralph had already made a name on Broadway and in film before they married. Their family later grew with the birth of two children.
His own work has stayed far from Hollywood. Older older profiles of Ralph described him as a dealer in African art and textiles. Years later, he moved into the food equipment business and became one of the founders of 1515 DESIGN.
That career gives his story more depth than the simple label of “famous ex-husband.” He has worked in fields linked to art, trade, imported goods, design, and food equipment. Much of that work happened away from cameras and entertainment news.
His Early Work in Art and Textiles
Before his later business career, Maurice was described as a dealer in African art and textiles. Older profiles of Ralph also says the two met on the French Riviera.
That background makes sense beside the work he later chose. Both art dealing and imported food equipment depend on products, design, trade, and strong business ties. They are very different markets, but both require an eye for quality and an ability to work across borders.
He did not turn that early work into a public brand built around his own name. Most people learned about him because of Ralph. His business life, however, was already separate from her acting career.
Marriage to Sheryl Lee Ralph
Eric Maurice and Sheryl Lee Ralph married in 1990. Ralph was already an well-known performer. She had earned a Tony Award nomination for playing Deena Jones in the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, and she continued to work in theater, television, film, and music.
The couple welcomed a son, Etienne Maurice, in 1992. Their daughter, Ivy Coco Maurice, was born in 1995. Both children grew up around creative work, but each later found a path of their own.
The marriage ended in divorce in 2001. Ralph has spoken about that period in later interviews and has said it was a hard time in her life. She also explained that she wanted to move forward in a healthier way for herself and her children.
Their divorce did not change the fact that they share a family. Years later, important family events have brought both parents together again around their adult children.
Etienne Maurice Built His Own Creative Path
Etienne works across film, acting, community work, and wellness. He founded WalkGood LA, a group that brings people together through movement, yoga, art, and community events.
He has also worked as an actor and filmmaker. In interviews, Etienne has spoken about building his own career rather than depending only on his mother’s fame. That mix of creative work and community service has become a large part of his public image.
According to AARP’s interview with Sheryl Lee Ralph, Ralph called her two children her “greatest gift.” She also shared that she could picture a future family when she met their father.
That family bond is still easy to see in public moments. Etienne’s work, wedding, and community projects have often included relatives from different parts of his family.
Ivy Coco Maurice Found Her Place in Fashion
Ivy Coco works in fashion and styling. She has styled her mother for major public events and has talked about the influence of her grandmother, Jamaican designer Ivy Ralph.
Her role with Ralph became more visible as Abbott Elementary brought a new wave of attention to the actress. Ivy has helped shape many of her mother’s red carpet looks while also building her own creative work.
She has also been involved with WalkGood LA. That means the two siblings share more than a famous mother and father. They have worked together on projects built around creativity, culture, health, and community.
For their father, the success of both children adds another layer to his story. He is part of a family where art, film, fashion, business, and public service all meet in different ways.
A Family Reunion at Etienne’s 2024 Wedding
One of the clearest recent public moments involving Maurice happened in July 2024. Etienne married ABC News journalist Stephanie Wash in Jamaica.
The wedding came just after Hurricane Beryl passed through the region, but the ceremony still went ahead. Family and friends traveled to Jamaica to celebrate with the couple.
During the ceremony, Etienne escorted his mother, his father, and his stepfather, Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes. It was a simple but meaningful family moment. Ralph and Maurice had been divorced for more than two decades, yet both were there for their son.
The wedding also honored Etienne’s Jamaican roots through his mother’s family. His late grandmother Ivy Ralph was a noted fashion designer in Jamaica. The groomsmen wore custom versions of the Kariba, a style linked to her work.
That celebration gave the public a rare look at the family today. It showed three parents standing together around a major moment in Etienne’s life.
Eric Maurice and the 1515 DESIGN Business
Eric Maurice has a strong business record through 1515 DESIGN. He co-founded the company with Francis Delpech in 2010.
According to 1515 DESIGN, the company imports kitchen gear from Europe and supplies it to grocery stores, restaurants, delis, supermarkets, and hotels and food businesses across North America.
The company focuses on equipment such as large rotisserie ovens and heated display units. It also offers service and maintenance for the businesses that use this equipment.
1515 DESIGN later became an importer and distributor for Doregrill, a French maker of large rotisserie ovens. The company’s work is very different from entertainment, but it gives Maurice a clear work role that has lasted for years.
This part of his life is easy to miss when people search only through fame sites. Commercial food equipment is a trade that sells to other businesses. It serves stores and restaurants rather than movie studios or television networks.
What His Company Actually Helps Businesses Do
A supermarket or restaurant needs more than a good recipe. It also needs equipment that can cook food safely, keep it warm, show it well, and handle heavy daily use.
That is the kind of problem 1515 DESIGN works on. Its gear is made for businesses that prepare and sell food in high volume. Rotisseries can cook large amounts of meat, while heated displays help keep prepared food ready for customers.
The company also works with service and maintenance. That matters because busy kitchens depend on gear every day. A broken oven or display unit can affect sales and slow down an entire food department.
This business angle adds useful context to Maurice’s life. His work is not built for fame. It is built around equipment, store needs, and long-term business clients.
Life After Divorce
After the 2001 divorce, Ralph continued to build her acting career. She later married Vincent Hughes in 2005. Her work reached another high point with Abbott Elementary, where she plays Barbara Howard.
Maurice stayed on a very different path. His public work remained tied to business. He did not become a television figure or build a career from his link to Ralph.
The 2024 wedding also gave a useful view of how the family has grown. Ralph, Hughes, and Maurice were all present as Etienne started a new chapter of his own life.
That kind of moment is often more telling than celebrity gossip. It shows that the family has continued to share important events even after the marriage ended many years ago.
Why Readers Still Search His Name
Interest in Eric Maurice has grown as new fans discover Sheryl Lee Ralph. Some know her from Dreamgirls or Moesha. Others first met her through Abbott Elementary.
Once people learn more about Ralph, they often search for her first husband, her children, and her earlier family life. Etienne and Ivy also bring their own audiences through acting, wellness, film, fashion, and styling.
His business work gives those readers another side of the story. He is linked to a famous actress, but his own career has stayed in private business fields. That contrast is one reason his name remains interesting.
Eric Maurice Today
Eric Maurice remains linked to 1515 DESIGN as a co-founder and owner. The company continues to present him as part of its leadership.
His 2024 appearance at Etienne’s wedding is also one of the clearest recent family moments connected to him. It showed him with his son, Ralph, and Hughes during a happy family event.
Beyond business and major family moments, he keeps a low public profile. His life is not built around interviews, red carpets, or social media attention.
That makes his story fairly simple to understand. He is a businessman and father whose name became public through marriage, while most of his own work stayed outside the show business.
Final Thoughts
Eric Maurice is part of Sheryl Lee Ralph’s family story, but he also has a life and career of his own. His background includes African art and textiles, a long business path, and the launch of 1515 DESIGN with Francis Delpech.
He and Ralph raised two children who later built strong creative lives. Etienne moved into film, acting, wellness, and community work. Ivy Coco found her place in fashion and styling.
Their son’s 2024 wedding also gave a warm look at the family years after divorce. Maurice, Ralph, and Hughes all shared the day with Etienne and Stephanie. It was a family moment that connected the past with the present.
For readers who arrive looking for more than a famous name, that is the real value of his story. It brings together business, family, art, and a life lived mostly away from the spotlight.
FAQs
Who is Eric Maurice?
He is a businessman and the first husband of actress Sheryl Lee Ralph. He is also the co-founder of 1515 DESIGN and the father of Etienne Maurice and Ivy Coco Maurice.
When were Sheryl Lee Ralph and her first husband married?
They married in 1990 and divorced in 2001.
How many children did the couple have?
They have two children. Their son is Etienne Maurice, and their daughter is Ivy Coco Maurice.
What does he do for work?
He co-founded 1515 DESIGN with Francis Delpech in 2010. The company works with kitchen gear for grocery, restaurant, deli, supermarket, and hotels and food businesses.
Was he at Etienne Maurice’s wedding?
Yes. He attended Etienne’s July 2024 wedding to journalist Stephanie Wash in Jamaica. Etienne escorted his father, his mother Sheryl Lee Ralph, and his stepfather Vincent Hughes during the ceremony.
Want another easy-to-read story about a person who built a career outside a famous spouse’s spotlight? Read Nia Renee Hill: Career, Bill Burr Marriage, Family, and Food Media Work on LakewoodScoop.co.uk.