Erica Rose Meltzer

Erica Rose Meltzer was born to Mary Gatfield and Steven Meltzer in New York City on August 20th, 1985. From the start she was a New Yorker through and through. In any room she entered, she was undeniably a larger than life presence as well as a fierce opponent in any debate. She never met an individual she viewed as a stranger but as a possible new friend or someone to engage in a bout of wits.

Erica grew up in lower Manhattan then moved to Las Vegas at the age of 12. While Erica was finding herself in Vegas she donned jet black hair before landing on the fiery red hair she was known for. As a child, family vacations to San Francisco became the foundation for her love of the city and later decision to accept a full scholarship to University of San Francisco. It was in the dorms of USF that she made some of her best lifelong friends. Her student life transitioned to a successful career and this time was a high point in her life. She was especially was proud of her apartment in the mission district. She overcame many hardships through her life but instead of letting them define her, she used them to strengthen and mold her into the strong, proud individual she became.

Through her life Erica loved learning and reading, and strove to understand the world. Her love of art and poetry was sparked during her time at USF, and it never stopped during her career. While living in Southern California her academic drive was rekindled and she started to explore different classes at Santa Monica College. This is where she rediscovered her passion for philosophy, which ultimately led to achieving her childhood dream of attending Columbia University. In 2021, Erica transferred as a junior to Columbia University majoring in philosophy. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy in spring of 2023. She felt that philosophy offered a deeper understanding of the world and how one could change it for the better.

Erica married her best friend Nate Usiak on their 5 year anniversary, April 9th 2021. Nate called her Bunnies and she called him Bears. They traveled the world and lived on both coasts of the US together. Their intense and unique love was apparent to all around them. One of Erica's dreams was to backpack South-East Asia which she made a reality in spring of 2017. Through this journey she bolstered her understanding of herself. It also ignited a drive for more travel and a deeper love for South-East Asia. Bears took her back to Koi Lanta, Thailand in 2019 to propose to her, knowing the special connection she had to that area.

On September 23, 2024 Erica left her body while visiting the city that eternally captured her heart, New York, to live on forever in the lives of everyone she came in contact with throughout her corporeal life. She is remembered as a gorgeous, loving, true, and dynamic soul who never took anything at face value, nor shied away from any adversary, especially when standing up for those who have less of a voice. Erica has left a huge void in the world felt by all of us left behind. She would want for all of us to strive to fill this emptiness with love and kindness for our fellow people. You will forever be loved Bunnies.