Religion: not determined yet
Name: Erma Horvath
Other Names: Dale's wife; Mrs. Horvath
Classification:
supporting character
Publisher(s): 
First Appearance: The Walking Dead #5 (Feb. 2004): "Days Gone Bye, Part 5"
Creators: Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore
Number of Appearances: 1
Enemy of: zombies
Family/Relative: Dale Horvath (husband)
Race: white
Gender: female
Note: Dale's wife
Dale is the owner of the RV that Rick's survivor group was camped around on the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia. Before the zombie apocalypse, Dale traveled around the American Southeast in the RV with his beloved wife. She was killed in the zombie apocalypse.
Dale's wife was first mentioned in The Walking Dead #5, when he was talking to Rick Grimes and Shane Walsh about his living arrangement with sisters Amy and Andrea. Dale told Rick and Shane: "C'mon, guys . . . I'm not doing anything with those girls. To be honest, I'm an old man . . . My plumbing ain't what it used to be. It's just-- after losing my wife not two months ago. . . It's nice having them around. They keep the place clean. . . Remind me of what it was like with her around."
Later, the whole group of survivors is sitting around the campfire and Rick asks them to tell about what they did before the zombie apocalypse. He started with Dale, asking him if he just traveled.
Dale said: "Pretty much. I was a salesman for over almost forty years. I spent most of my life behind a desk on the phone. The week after I retired the wife and bought that camper and set out to see America. We'd been on the road the better part of two years when everything started happening. We were at a campsite about eighty miles south of here, coming back from Florida . . . The news hit us a little late . . . We didn't even know what was going on. My wife . . . never left that campsite.
Dale continued his account: "After I buried her . . . I set out for Atlanta. I had some cousins there and the radio said it was the safest place nearby."
The name of Dale's late wife was revealed to be "Erma." In The Walking Dead #12, on page 4, Dale complained to Andrea about how messed up his RV was after having had such heavy use by their band of survivors, especially since the whole group slept in it. Dale told Andrea: "Erma would throw a fit if she could see it."
Dale saw the look on Andrea's face and said: "I'm sorry. I know you don't like it when I mention her."
Andrea said: "No. She was your wife. I understand. It's just that it reminds me that she's always on your mind and I--"
Dale said: "Don't think of it that way, Andrea. I was married to Erma for almost forty years. You can't be jealous of my memories."
Andrea said: "I know, Dale... I know."
The Walking Dead