Claire Antoinette Stachelek Allen Stelter
Claire Antoinette Stachelek Allen Stelter, resident of Houston for over 50 years, passed peacefully and gently into God's hands on August 24, 2022. She was born in New Britain, CT on February 6, 1927, the sixth of ten children born to Joseph and Antoinette (GoIon) Stachelek. She graduated from New Britain High School in 1945. Claire worked for the VA and IRS prior to attending college at NYU, where she received a BA in Psychology in 1957 while living in New York City and working full time. She completed her MA also at NYU in 1964 including a year of study at the University of Warsaw in Poland. She worked for the Kosciuszko Foundation while in Europe post-graduation. She then relocated to Washington DC to manage the US office for the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs (NAFSA), an association dedicated to supporting international educators.
It was while in the DC area at a NAFSA conference that she first met, and then after a correspondence-intensive long-distance romance, decided to marry Walter P. Allen, who was then a Professor of English at the University of Houston, with a teen-age son, Harry. Claire relocated to Houston to be with them in 1967. Education was always very important to Claire, deeply influencing her choice of career. Claire worked for ARAMCO helping place Saudi students in college; this position required frequent travel to Saudi Arabia. Later, she worked in the student placement office at the University of Houston working with international students until her retirement. After son Harry married and moved out, she became increasingly involved with an ever-growing number of nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. They also traveled a great deal, both by road trips to most states of the Union, plus, a great many foreign destinations as well.
Claire was a dedicated wife to Walter, serving as his primary caregiver for at least 10 years after his Parkinson's diagnosis until his death in 1994 after 26 years of marriage. She was widowed for a decade but had a full life with friends and family. Claire found love again in Baybrook Mall by meeting recent widower O.H. Stelter while mall-walking; they married in 2005. Claire was an active volunteer with the St. Christopher's Church Thrift Shop for many years. She also served as a Tax Assistance volunteer helping others with their annual IRS tax submissions. Being both fluent and literate in the Polish language, she worked extensively as a translator/proofreader for numerous Polish/English professional journals and authors and has numerous literary publications to her credit.
She is predeceased by her husbands, Walter Allen, PhD, and O.H. Stelter, her parents, 8 of her siblings, and her stepdaughter, Sandy Stelter. She is survived by her sister, Anne Stachelek Chussil of Hartford, CT.; Nephews Edward Jablonski (Ann), Harry Allen Jr. (Alma), Nieces Marie Havican (Marc), Ti-Grace Williams (Keith); stepchildren Paul Stelter (Susan), Susan McKee (Scott), Harry Allen Sr. (Terry); grandnephews Ward (Christy) and Phillip Jablonski; family friend Sheryl Murphy (Mike), all of Texas, plus, numerous additional nieces and nephews and a multitude of grandnieces /nephews located nationally and internationally.
Claire will be sorely missed but knowing that she is now with our Lord is a comfort to those who loved her. A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday, October 8, 2022, at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, 2508 Saint Christopher Ave (on 518, across from the CCISD stadium) in League City.