In Remembrance: Norbert R. Christel ’49 Died on October 19 2024

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Norbert Richard Christel died peacefully and surrounded by loved ones at his home in Mountain Lake, Florida, on October 19, 2024. He was 99 years old. 

Born to Norbert William and Esther Mallman Christel in Valders, Wisconsin, on September 11, 1925, Norbert—or “Chris” as he was often called—was the oldest of six children. The Christel family were leaders in their Wisconsin community, and Norbert grew up embracing the family’s strong work ethic while contributing to the family agricultural businesses. 

Norbert graduated from Valders High School in 1943, where he earned the nickname “Flash” while competing in track and field. Upon graduation, Norbert enlisted in the Navy and served until 1946. Norbert was extremely proud of his naval training in Tennessee, Georgia, and Washington, DC. 

After leaving the Navy, Norbert enrolled at Yale University. Young men from Midwest agricultural families weren’t the usual student fare at Yale, but Norbert thrived at the university and established close friendships that would last the rest of his life. Each summer he returned to Wisconsin to work for the Christel family businesses to help pay his college costs, and he graduated from Yale in 1949 with a degree in English.

Norbert moved to New York City, and entered the working world in 1950 as the new mattress buyer for the department store B. Altman and Company. His office was located at Altman’s flagship store at Fifth Avenue and 34th Street in midtown Manhattan. Retail was not the industry he’d originally envisioned for himself, but he found success. Norbert had a flair for store design and a knack for discerning quality goods, which served him well in his long retail career. 

Once in New York, friends set Norbert up on a blind date with Thyrza Buckingham Upson of Middlebury, Connecticut. In six months Norbert and Thyrza were engaged, and they married in 1954. Norbert and Thyrza were married 65 years, until her death in 2019. Together they had five children: Maria Tamison, William Hiram, John Howard, Sarah Buckingham, and Ann Upson Christel. 

Norbert was hired away from Altman’s  by W & J Sloane, known for its fine home furnishings and rug collections. Sloane’s was the first retail company to import oriental carpets into the United States. Norbert joined the store as a rug buyer, a job that immediately began sending him around the globe in search of fine carpets. Rugs became a passion of Norbert’s and he filled his family’s home with rugs he picked out on buying trips. Norbert later moved to Los Angeles as the head buyer at J. W. Robinson’s department stores. Another promotion moved his family to St. Louis, Missouri, where he worked at Stix, Baer & Fuller. By this time Norbert was in charge of all the store’s fine home furnishing purchasing. In 1972, he was promoted by Associated Dry Goods to be the president of Stewart’s & Company, in Baltimore, Maryland. In that era, city department stores often had up to five branches in and around the city, and that was the case in Baltimore. His final retail years were spent in Connecticut, where he served as executive vice president at G. Fox & Company, that state’s May Company flagship store. G. Fox’s headquarters were located in downtown Hartford, but Norbert oversaw the trade for G. Fox stores around the state. 

After three decades in the department store business, Norbert transformed his career when, at the age of 55, he left the retail world to become a financial consultant. He became a financial advisor at what was then Shearson Lehman Brothers, now known as Morgan Stanley. He remained with the company for 15 successful years, where he cultivated long-lasting associations with clients and coworkers.

Norbert and his wife Thyrza shared a full and exciting life. Throughout all the moves the family made, their priority remained taking care of their children, giving them the best education possible, sharing family vacations and friendships that spanned decades, and enjoying the activities they loved. Together Norbert and Thyrza enjoyed travel, tennis, golf, sailing, and summer vacations with the Christel and Upson clans. They shared a love for big band music and great vocalists. He never smiled wider than when he and his wife whirled across the dance floor to a big band orchestra. Norbert’s vision for himself and his family never wavered. His entire family was nourished by extended families in Wisconsin and Connecticut, and in Mountain Lake, Florida. He adored his three grandsons, Sam, Simon, and Charlie, of whom he was very proud. 

Norbert is survived by his loving children: Maria Tamison Christel, William Hiram Christel (Debbie, deceased), John Howard Christel (Kate), and Sarah Christel Sully (Jeff). He was predeceased by his wife, Thyrza, and his youngest daughter, Ann Upson Metje (Scott). He was preceded in death by his siblings Patrick, Carol, Allen, and Charles. He leaves three grandsons: Samuel Christel (Eva) and Charles and Simon Christel. He is also survived by his youngest brother, Don Christel (Sue), of The Villages, Florida.

The Christel family is eternally grateful for the support, friendship, and trust of Norbert and Thyrza’s friends and caregivers: Gloria and Dewey Carnley of Lake Wales, Florida, and their entire family; Martha Diaz and Ona Karaliuniene of Florida; and Cathy Lyon, of Middlebury, Connecticut.  A special thanks must also go to Trish Zak and Emily Page at Morgan Stanley in West Hartford, Connecticut. 

Dad, we know you are having the ride of your life in your 1964.5 white Mustang convertible, the one you rolled off the salesroom floor at Christel Ford all those years ago. 

Norbert is greatly missed by his children, extended family, colleagues, and friends. Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, Norbert’s family hopes you will consider a gift to the Middlebury Land Trust, the Lake Quassapaug Association, or the Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida.

—Submitted by the family.