Erika Smith

Erika Smith, 76, of Santa Barbara, CA, died peacefully at Serenity House on October 16, 2023.

Erika was born to Rosalyn Fishman Scholtz and Mark Scholtz on May 3, 1947, in Sacramento, California.  The family moved to Los Angeles when she was three and from there they moved to Ventura when she was in third grade.  She graduated from Buena High School in 1965. She then attended University of California at Berkeley, graduating in 1969.

Until 1990 Erika worked in the computer field in New Jersey, Portland, Seattle and Santa Barbara.  She also worked for Santa Barbara City College Adult Education at the Schott Center for 10 years, as a registrar and as a fiddle teacher, retiring in 2010.

Erika enjoyed dancing, singing, playing the fiddle,  going to concerts and travelling.  She loved art and always went to the First Thursday Art Receptions . She volunteered as an usher in the theatres of Santa Barbara for many years.  She was a member of the Santa Barbara Blues Society and volunteered to help at many Blues concerts.  She joined a QiCong class in 2020, which helped her with meditation and gentle exercise.

She was a member of an old-time music group, Glendessary Jam, from its inception in 1987.  She formed a band called the “Hot Flashes” in the early 1990’s with 3 other old-time musicians to play for contra dances, which they did until 2010.  She also belonged to various singing groups, Women’s Rounds and Santa Barbara Shape Note Singers among them.

Erika lived a good, full life.  She appreciated her friends and enjoyed living in Santa Barbara.