Adrienne Stitzel, volunteer with generous heart
Adrienne Stitzel, 81, of Milford and Rehoboth Beach, passed away at home Tuesday, Nov. 19, surrounded by her loving family. She was born to David and Pauline Mallor in Brooklyn, N.Y. Adrienne was a devoted wife, mother, sister, nana, and aunt. She was a kind and giving friend to all who knew her.
Adrienne is survived by her husband of 62 years, Warren; her sons, Phillip and Brian; daughter-in-law Heather; and six grandchildren, Danielle, Emily, Kevin, Amanda, Madison and Bryn. She leaves behind many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Barbara Aichele; and her brother-in-law, Jay Rosen and his wife Bev. She was especially fond of her niece, Cindy Rosen Coons, her husband Rich, and their children Carly and David. Their love and kindness over the years meant so much to her.
Adrienne is preceded in death by her parents; and her loving sisters, Corinne and Donna.
Adrienne was employed by the County of Orange, N.Y. where she worked for 26 years in the finance department, starting in 1983 after her children were grown. In her typical self-motivated fashion, she applied to take a civil service exam for file clerk. She scored high enough to be hired as a person from outside of the existing promotion list, which was no easy task. In the years that followed, due to her strong work ethic and attention to detail and studies, she rose to the position of director of accounts payable. Her section was known to be one of the most well-run in the county. Often at the end of the fiscal year, and to her dismay, her section was called upon to help other sections complete their tasks.
Adrienne and Warren first came to Rehoboth Beach for a weekend in 1980. They returned every year for vacation, and in 1992, they bought a condo. When they retired, they moved into their new home in Milford, so they could be closer to Rehoboth, because her heart was at the beach. She spent many happy times with her friends in Delaware. She was always the driving force to arrange events, dinners out, wine parings, Jazz Festival tickets, and the theater.
Adrienne was a tireless volunteer with a generous heart. She was the treasurer of the Friends of the Milford Library, secretary of her HOA, and coordinator of the Beacon Inn bridge group in Lewes. Most of all, she was an active member of the Village Improvement Association of Rehoboth Beach. She devoted much time and energy to numerous projects. For several years, she was one of the chairs for the Art of Accessorizing event. She started the Fine Art and Craft show, and as co-chair for two years, made it an outstanding success.
Adrienne was a fabulous cook. Married at a young age, with no experience in cooking, she applied her talents to learning to cook and bake. She practiced and experimented, and tried endless new recipes. The result was a well-deserved reputation, a boundless repertoire, and a huge library of her and others’ recipes.
Much later in life, she discovered another hidden talent. On a whim, Adrienne took a drawing class, which led to numerous watercolor classes locally and at the Ocean City Art League. As always, her hard work and practice bore fruit. Her home is adorned with her artwork. Her holiday cards featuring her themed watercolors are remarkable.
Adrienne’s family remembers her as someone who cherished her time with them and so deeply adored her grandchildren. Her strong will and work ethic are an inspiration. She applied these to every task that was before her. She had a kind and generous soul, and always considered others before herself.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center NYC or a cancer charity of choice.
The family will receive visitors from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Nov. 23, at Rogers Hovatter Funeral Home, 301 Lakeview Ave., Milford, with a funeral service starting at noon.
For condolences, visit rogersfhmilford.com.
