Erminia Motika nasceu o 23 de janeiro de 1921 em Pola, Istria, Italy [agora Pula, Republic of Croatia]. Foi casada com Franco Motika (Matticchio). Morreu o 14 de fevereiro de 2021 em Queens, Nova York, EUA.
Erminia Pavichievaz Motika (Matticchio) was the daughter of Giovanni and Rosa (Smilovich) Pavichievaz. She married Victor Motika (Matticchio) on September 21, 1941. (He died on October 2, 1980.) They had two children, Lidia Giuliana Motika (Matticchio) (Lidia Bastianich) and Franco Motika (Matticchio). Grandmother of five, including Tanya Bastianich and Joe Bastianich; and great-grandmother of nine, including Lorenzo Manuali, Julia Manuali, Ethan Bastianich, Miles Bastianich, and Olivia Bastianich.