Erica R. Carlson

Erica graduated from Dunkirk High School in 1994, where she was editor of the school newspaper and hosted the WDOE High School Highlights radio show. Always an overachiever, she managed to earn a 4-year Bachelor’s degree from SUNY Fredonia in just over 2 years, thanks to earning course credits during high school in 3-1-3 and always over packing her college schedule.

Erica served as a reporter at the Dunkirk Observer during high school and throughout college, continuing her career there following her college graduation. She was the Regional Editor there when she decided to move to New Jersey to join her future husband. While in New Jersey, she worked as a copy editor at the Star Ledger. Based in Newark, it is the 9th largest newspaper in the country. She also worked as Life Styles editor at the Princeton Packet and moonlighted at Unique Homes magazine.

Since returning to the area eleven years later, she has operated Avid Farms in Dunkirk with her husband, acted as the Fredonia Farmer’s Market Manager, and worked as a Public Relations Specialist at Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES.

Erica cultivated a large circle of friends and was well known for her acts of kindness. In the many recent tributes written about her, she has been described as witty, humorous, charming, sophisticated, generous, compassionate, intelligent, wise, loving, caring, helpful, supportive, thoughtful, protective, loyal, beautiful, fun-loving, and a great many admired her savvy shopping skills. She embodied all that and so much more. She will be deeply missed by all.

She is survived by her husband, Jason Carlson, son, Holden Carlson; her parents, Bill and Patty Hammond; her brother, Matthew (Atalia) Hammond; her in-laws, Beth and Larry Maheady; and her brother-in-laws, Joshua (Samantha Eggert) Maheady and Connor (Jessica Nichols) Maheady.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Fredonia Beaver Club on Monday, Dec. 22, from 2-6 pm. Memory Sharing will begin at 2:30 pm. Please bring a written story, memory, poem, or other memorabilia for inclusion in a sharable memory book. On-line condolences may be made at larsontimkofuneralhome.com. Arrangements by David J. Dengler, LARSON-TIMKO Funeral Home.