Erika Christel Lipelt was born in Germany in May 1942, during the early years of WWII. Erika was the eldest of two daughters born to Otto and Herta Lipelt. They experienced several years of hardship before the end of WWII before their lives returned to normalcy. As a teenager Erika says she knew she needed glasses after she walked past her parents one day without recognizing them! She began working at the age of 14 as a textile weaver. As a young adult she met a U.S. Army soldier named Fred Teele, whom she married in 1959. Erika and Fred moved several times before settling in the United States. They lived in Maine, Fred’s home state. They had three children, Christel, Marion and Fred. In 1975 their marriage ended, and Erika and her children moved to Massachusetts. Erika met the love of her life, Geno Torres, in the early 1980’s and they were inseparable for over 30 years. Erika is survived by her children: Christel Hendricks of Holyoke, Massachusetts, Marion Teele and her spouse (Nancy) of Grayson, Georgia, and Fred Teele, of Raleigh, North Carolina; grandchildren: Tabitha, Samantha and Luke Teele, of Canada, Alice Teele of Holyoke, Massachusetts and Halle Teele of Grayson, Georgia; her sister, Irma Weigmann of Tutzing, Germany and nephews Michael and Andi Weigmann, also of Germany. Erika is pre-deceased by her partner, Geno Torres and her grandson Charles Teele. All services are private.