Erina Pendleton

Erina Pendleton (later Erina Joestar) is a character appearing in Part I: Phantom Blood and Part II: Battle Tendency. Though her appearances are few, she plays a significant role as the love interest in the first part of the story.

Phantom Blood
Erina Pendleton first appeared as a young girl, with Jonathan Joestar rescuing her from bullies he mention his aspiration of knighthood and leaves behind a handkerchief. When she appeared again, she and Jonathan were going out, and eventually they fell in love. However, after Dio Brando seized her, kissed her, and then brutally beat her, she felt humiliated and stayed away from Jonathan for a long time.

Erina did not appear again until after Dio's first near-defeat, when she nursed Jonathan back to health. After that, Jonathan finally defeated Dio using Hamon. They subsequently renewed their relationship and got married. They took a ship to go on their honeymoon to America, but the voyage was cut short by the reappearance of Dio. The ship went down, and Jonathan stayed behind, using the last of his life energy to kill Dio and bring down the zombies with him. Erina took an orphaned infant whose mother had been killed by Dio and escaped as the ship sunk.

Battle Tendency
Years later, she and her grandson Joseph Joestar were the last of the Joestar family, and they traveled to New York on the invitation of Robert Edward O Speedwagon. Erina is introduced as the old grandmother of Joseph Joestar and held on to great fortune from Speedwagon. She was mostly shown living with her grandson in New York in the US.

At the end of the part, Erina was mentioned to have taught English at a school, and died at the age of 81.

Steel Ball Run
Lucy Steel in Steel Ball Run is likely the alternate universe counterpart to Erina Pendleton. Like Erina, Lucy's maiden name is Pendleton, and it is possible for a romantic interest to develop between her and Johnny Joestar. Unlike Erina, Lucy was married at a young age to Stephen Steel. This 'marriage' however seems to be a deep kinship rather than a genuine romantic interest given the marriage has not been consummated.

Trivia
Lisa Lisa mentions that Erina was pregnant which resulted in her being adopted by Straights.