Known for her infectious smile, boundless warmth, and adoration of her close friends and family, Nell Stauch Gitschner, [76], of Houston, Texas, lost her hard-fought battle with cancer on April 9, 2024.
Nell was born in Houston in 1947 to Elsie and Leopold (“Leo”) Castellanos. As a child, Nell loved spending time outdoors, especially enjoying both roller skating and ice skating. In her teenage years, her family relocated to Annapolis, MD where Nell picked up sailing, which became one of her fondest pastimes.
While in college at the University of Houston, Nell volunteered at a local hospital where she met the young, funny, and irreverent Dr. Douglas Stauch. They were married in Houston and soon found themselves in New York City for his residency. Nell attended the famed New York School for Design where she honed her creative talents, which she leveraged throughout her life. Next, Doug and Nell were off to live in England for his orthopedic fellowship. Nell relished the adventure of living abroad, exploring castles in the countryside and boating down the canals.
Following their stint in the UK, they settled in Bryan, TX where they welcomed twin daughters Laura and Caroline. Her twins instantly became the center of Nell’s world. Both girls grew up to be very involved in activities, so Nell became a permanent fixture at every horseshow, volleyball game, cheerleading competition, and dance team performance for Laura and Caroline.
Nell moved to Houston to start anew after the conclusion of her marriage and began working as a residential realtor. Busy pursuing her new career, she did not expect to meet the next and final love of her life at a church luncheon. Austrian-born, Certified Master Chef Fritz Gitschner caught her attention with his genuine warmth, striking mustache, and noticeably adorable accent. Fritz instantly recognized Nell’s free spirit, independence, selflessness, and her general love of life.
Since they began dating in 1999, Fritz often bought Nell 17 red roses to signify her youthful personality and enduring beauty. Fritz and Nell married in 2005 and began a 25-year-long adventure including an entrepreneurial foray that brought her fame: “Nelly’s Carmelized Pecans”. They lived in Tulsa, OK briefly then spent several years in Philadelphia, PA where Fritz held executive chef roles at top country clubs. They adored Pennsylvania and exploring the historic towns and neighboring states. Nell and Fritz also enjoyed seeing new parts of the country and visiting other parts of the world. Their constant companion, a Yorkshire terrier named Baxter, was often along for the ride and rarely left Nell’s side.
In 2022, Fritz and Nell moved back to Houston to enjoy official retirement. They embarked on a notable gardening project in the backyard, which included a large range of fruits, vegetables, and even very hot peppers. They loved watching sailing shows together and imagined buying a catamaran to sail the world together. On pretty days, Nell and Fritz strolled Memorial Park with Baxter or barbecued on the patio.
In thinking about the many things we will remember of Nell, the most obvious was that she prioritized her family above all else. She was always excited when her out-of-town family came to visit, including Stefan from New York, Selange, Matt, and Fia from Bermuda and those who came all the way from Austria. But there was no question, her grandchildren were her all-time favorites. She loved each stage as they grew and marveled at the individual talents they each possessed. She was always supportive of each of them and eager to participate in their activities. She attended her grandson, Blake’s, football games, watched on the front row as her granddaughter, Caitlin, portrayed Cleopatra at school, and was excited to play on the floor with the littlest granddaughter, Fia, and her toys. They brought her endless joy.
Every holiday and occasion were made special with festive decorations all over the house and thoughtful mementos to show her loved ones that they were top of mind. Most notably, the dining room table and chandelier were always adorned with thematic décor to ensure our meal was special, as food was an important aspect of the Gitschner household. Though never formally trained, Nell was also a very talented cook and baker who contributed to many exceptional, memorable meals. The twins loved her homemade lasagna, stuffed shells, and exceptional German-chocolate cake.
Nell made everyone she met feel welcome, and she enriched their lives in more ways than she will ever know. Even a brief encounter included her infectious smile that warmed your heart. What a privilege to those who entered her orbit and a true gift to those who got to spend time in her sunshine.
Nell was preceded in death by her parents, Elsie and Leo Castellanos, and her brothers Kent and Jack Castellanos. She is survived by her beloved husband Fritz Gitschner, her twin daughters Caroline Olson and Laura Stauch, stepson Stefan Gitschner, stepdaughter Selange Gitschner, husband Matthew Strong, and adored grandchildren Blake Weeks, Caitlin Olson, and Fia Strong. She is also survived by sister Ann Shearer, husband Fran Shearer, nephew Dan Shearer married to Jennifer Shearer, nephew Scott Shearer married to Kris Shearer, niece Kristen Ridgway (David Ridgway), and their respective families.
Services will be held at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home and Cemetery in the Chapel of Angels (6900 Lawndale St, Houston, TX 77023) on Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 2:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Nell’s honor may be made to MD Anderson
(https://mdanderson.donordrive.com/campaign/In-Loving-Memory-of-Nell-Stauch-Gitschner) or to the Houston Public Library (https://houstonlibrary.org/volunteer-donate).
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