Obituary

Erica Louise Tomsha
1984 - 2009

Erica Louise Tomsha, 25, of Fairbanks, passed on to her heavenly home Sept. 24, 2009, at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital because of flu complications and pneumonia during treatment for breast cancer, which she courageously battled for the past two and a half years. She was surrounded by her loving family and friends.

Erica was born on Jan. 7, 1984, in Fairbanks to Mark and Anita Tomsha. Erica was a wonderful daughter and sister to her four younger brothers and sisters. Her outgoing personality, zest for life and adventure attracted many friendships and travel opportunities.Erica spent much of her childhood on her family’s farm in Nenana. As Erica put it, “It was a time for bonding with family. A time of rest from modern conveniences … with days spent outside in the sun and dust, picking sticks, working on the tractors, building barns, and stacking hay, gravel pit swims to wash away the dirt and sweat of the day. Nights were spent feasting, and every night was a party.”

She graduated from Lathrop High School in 2002 and continued her education at University of Alaska Fairbanks after receiving a 4-H scholarship for leadership. After her high school graduation, she was selected to be an intern for Sen. Ted Stevens in Washington, D.C. With her interest in political science, she traveled with the 4-H Leadership Club to Washington D.C., Atlanta and Maine on exchange programs. She was a camp counselor for Twin Bears 4-H camp and volunteered regularly with the Special Olympics horseback riding program. After her time at UAF, she moved to Salt Lake City to further her education. She stayed there until her fiancé, Tony Bugni, was tragically killed in a construction accident.

Erica competed in many horse shows at the Tanana Valley Fairgrounds and around the state. An accomplished rider, she was hired to care for and train Grand Prix horses on the central California coast until she was diagnosed with cancer. She loved the time she spent in California and lived close to the beach where she and her riding buddies would take regular gallops with their horses. While living in the San Luis Obispo area, she met German Bertero, who became her steadfast, faithful companion and friend. He moved to Alaska to be with her and support her in this very difficult time.

She was happy to share her talents even after starting breast cancer treatments in Seattle. She worked with riders and their horses and gave numerous riding lessons while she lived there. After moving back to Fairbanks and continuing her treatment, she was lovingly supported by many friends here, including those in the horse riding community, among them, her childhood friend Chelsea (Moore) Datillo.

Erica recalled times when they were spending “every day together for weeks on end, riding our horses, exploring the woods. ... We would dream of a time when we would move out of our parents’ houses and live with our horses in the back yard.” Robin Davies and her daughter, Darcy Etcheverry, created a blog for updates about Erica’s treatment, and they made “Earrings for Erica,” a continuing fundraiser for Erica. Being with her family again, Erica would pitch in where ever she could, cooking wonderful meals, cleaning up and helping create great birthday parties and other family celebrations.

Erica will be sadly missed by all her family and friends. She had a vibrant and brave spirit, full of bright energy. She loved life. In her own words, she was “an Alaskan Girl!”Erica was preceded in death by her grandfather, Karl Carlson. Erica is survived by her companion, German Bertero; her father and mother, Mark and Anita; her brothers, Christopher and Tristan; her sisters, Rachel and Tori; grandfather Louis Tomsha; grandmothers, Betty Carlson and Margaret Burya; uncles, Kurt Carlson, Michael, Patrick and Eric Tomsha, Ron Roden; aunts, Janine Thibedeau and Barbara Johnson, Linda Griffith, Christy Roden and Kay Tomsha; cousins, SallyAnn, Allan, Andre, Lance Thibedeau; Amanda, Carl and Perry Johnson; Aaron, Ian, and Magic Wade; Gabriel Roden; Kim, Ryan, Arwen and Katie Tomsha; and Willow Tomsha.

There will be a celebration of Erica’s life at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, at First Presbyterian Church, Seventh and Cushman streets, which will be immediately followed by a potluck reception at the Tomsha family home, 1470 Westmoreland Ave., at 4 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road Please call 488-0293 or check the blog at ericatomsha.blogspot.com for directions or more information.