Obituary of Roesli Stechele

Roesli Stechele Roesli Stechele, 85, passed away on March 20, 2013, at Mount Nittany Medical Center. Rose is survived by Fritz Stechele, her devoted husband of 64 years. She was the loving mother of Irma Caso, of Pine Grove Mills; Heidi Zimbler and her husband, Harry Zimbler, of Pine Grove Mills; Walter Stechele and wife, Ilse Stechele, of Yorktowne, Va.; and Sylvia Stechele, of Warriors Mark. Roesli was grandmother to Peter Caso and wife, Tamara Puljo, of West Palm Beach, Fla.; Dusty Caso, of State College; Gina Ritchey and husband, Dan Ritchey, of Chesterfield, Va.; Jessica Riescher and husband, Steve Riescher, of Baltimore, Md.; Zachary Zimbler, currently residing in Bangkok, Thailand; Jason, Warren and Russell Stechele, of Yorktowne and Williamsburg, Va.; and Michael Stechele, of Warriors Mark. Roesli was great grandmother to Zoey and Kira Riescher, of Baltimore; Amanda and Alexia Stechele, of Yorktowne, Va.; and Kaylee and Jared Rambo and Alex Ritchey, of Chesterfield, Va. Born Roesli Lichten-berg in Hamburg, Germany and she moved to southern Germany during the Second World War, where she met the love of her life Fritz Stechele. She was the eldest daughter of 10 brothers and sisters. In 1955 she came to the United States to follow her husband, who arrived a year earlier. The story of Roesli and Fritz is the story of immigrants who left home to create a new, prosperous life in New York City. The family lived in Brooklyn, N.Y., for a number of years until the 1960's when they moved to Bayshore, Long Island. They were part of a massive suburbanization in New York. Together, Fritz and Roesli took a shell of a house and literally built the home they wanted with their own hands. Roesli was a gregarious, fun-loving woman. She told wonderful stories of life in Germany and never lacked for an opinion on anything, and everything. But more than that, her personal strength in facing tough circumstances was amazing. She knew how to make the best of every situation. When Fritz decided to form his own masonry firm, Roesli served as bookkeeper, payroll officer, and human resource expert. She loved little babies and became Long Island's most sought after foster parent, raising dozens upon dozens of abandoned children. One child, who she had from infancy, remains devoted to her. When Rose was given the chance to adopt this child, instead she looked for the child's mother and helped her transition to her birth mom. Roesli was a talented musician who played by ear. She could hear a song and then immediately play it on the Lowry organ built especially for her. She went on to become a regional spokesperson for Wersi, the German organ firm. An avid gardener, she was successful at growing a wide variety of flowers, vegetables and fruits that most people wouldn't have the skills and knowledge to cultivate. Roesli was a woman more comfortable in the countryside than in the city, but brave enough to live wherever life took her. Both she and Fritz were thrilled to move to the Happy Valley because it reminded them of their home in Breitbrunn, Bavaria. A memorial service will be held for Roesli Stechele at Trinity Lutheran Church, 2221 North Oak Lane, State College, on April 13, 2013 at 3 pm. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the American Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org or mailed to NKF, 3109 Forbes Ave., Suite 101, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton Street, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be made at www.kochfuneralhome.com