Carmine Stahl

1927 - 2016

Carmine August Stahl
1927-2016
Carmine August Stahl (12/9/27 -8/14/16) was born in Paris, Arkansas to Doctor Carmine Stahl and Gretchen Bartch Stahl, the oldest of 4 boys. He learned the medical use of plants from his father and about nature from both of his parents.
He served in the weather division of the US Army Air Force and was stationed in the Philippines as a wartime meteorologist, adding to his knowledge and love of nature. While in college, he married Mary Lou Strong Brinker. After graduation he had a variety of jobs, including teaching, but then felt a call and decided to enter the ministry and graduated from the Perkins School of Theology at SMU. As a Pastor he worked all over East Texas, from Shelbyville to Orange and for a time was a "circuit rider" serving 8 churches. He later served as the Director of the Youth Ministries Department for the United Methodist Conference. Service to God also included working with many social service agencies and inner city youth.
After retiring from the ministry he indulged his love of birding by starting a second career as Executive Director of the Houston Audubon society. He then began working as the Head Forester for the Harris County Parks and Recreation Department, and later spent his time serving as Program Coordinator for the Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens and as a naturalist for the Jesse H. Jones Park.
Over the years his unending search for new ways to use wild edibles led to providing meals from the wild with help from Mary Lou for groups such as Rotary. After his retirement from the Harris County Parks department, he worked on his last book, The Trees of Texas with Ria McElvaney, published by the Texas A & M Press. In honor of all he did as a naturalist, Harris County created the Carmine Stahl Nature Preserve as a part of the Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center, which is along a part of the Spring Creek Greenway Trail created jointly by Harris and Montgomery Counties.
A kind and respected man with many interests and gifts, he was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Quentin, Tim and Tom; and his wife of 57 years, Mary Lou. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law Ralph Stahl and Summer and his daughter and son-in-law Merry Carol Hapi and Dale; 8 grandchildren; great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and many friends from all of his many activities and interests.
Graveside services will be held Wednesday, August 24th at 2 p.m. at the Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Dr. A Celebration of his life will be held later the same day at Big Stone Lodge at the Dennis Johnston Park, 709 Riley-Fuzzel Rd, Spring, TX from 5 -7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations for benches at the Nature Preserve may be made in his name to Harris County Parks, c/o 709 Riley-Fuzzel Rd, Spring, TX 77373. If you have a memory of Carmine you would like to share, please send it to carminememories2016@gmail.com.