Erika L. Tomao

Born in Manhattan on April 28, 1934, in her favorite time of year, Erika Louise Tomao (nee Freter) was the oldest of three daughters of Erich and Marta Freter, both born in the kingdom of Prussia of the German Empire.

In December 1935 she and her parents moved to her parent's native Germany as her father was the oldest son and therefore had the inheritance of his father's house.

In January 1945 Erika and her two sisters, Hildegard and Edith, fled with her mother from the approaching Soviet Army and were found months later by her father in northwestern Germany near Bremen.

After reuniting, they then all settled and lived with the relatives of her maternal sister's husband in the German state of Bavaria, about an hour from Munich, Germany. Her happy memories of the lovely alpine setting and her friendships formed there left a lasting impression on her and on all who knew her. She lived there from the fall of 1945 to 1950, and began learning to be a hairdresser.

In June 1950, the family came back to the US and settled in the Bronx. It was only a few years later, in the mid 1950's, that Erika met her future husband, Henry Joseph Tomao, who was working at the same company in the Bronx. While Henry was serving overseas in Korea, Erika completed her training as a hairdresser and eventually started working on Fordham Road at a beauty salon.

In May 1962 Erika and Henry were married, and they lived in the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood of the Bronx from December 1964 until July 1983. It was during this time they had two children, Curt in May 1965, and Heidy in July 1973.

The family traveled at least every second summer to Bavaria starting in the late 1960's until the late 1980's, and still about every second year thereafter, though without Curt, until the early 2010's. Erika's Mom Marta and sister Hilde moved back to Bavaria in 1967, and Erika was always so happy to see them. During the childhood years of Curt and Heidy, the family also often visited her sister Edith and her family in Pennsylvania and later Idaho.

In July 1983, Erika and her family moved to Roosevelt Island, where she lived until November of 2024. She loved her garden she and Henry had in a community garden on the island, and enjoyed many hours and happy times there with Henry. In April 2015, Henry passed, and Erika, with increasing help from her daughter and others in the garden, continued caring for her garden.

In May 1992 Curt married his wife, Cheryl, and in October 1998 Heidy married her husband, Jay. In April 2003, Erika and Henry became grandparents with the birth of Curt and Cheryl's son, Daniel Joseph Tomao.

From October 2024 until February 2025, Erika stayed at the Sunrise Senior Living Center in North Lynbrook, Long Island, and for her final weeks stayed with her daughter in Copiague, Long Island, receiving her daughter's loving and diligent care until she passed.

We will all remember Erika's loving devotion to her family, her kindness to all, and her fondness of nature and new life that springtime brings.