Carl Joseph Tichauer

Carl Tichauer of Peoria, Arizona passed away on Sunday, June 11th at the age of 74. He was born on December 21st in Montevideo, Uruguay where he grew up the son of two post World War II German-Polish immigrants. His mother, a survivor of the Holocaust, and his father, the lone survivor in his family, both provided him with an early work ethic and fierce determination to live life to it’s fullest and never give up.

In 1963, at the age of 14, he and his family immigrated to Omaha, Nebraska to be near family. Carl worked to integrate himself into American life and learn English. After getting his high school diploma from Central High School, he then graduated from The University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1970 with a degree in language studies. He also married, Gayle, his high school sweetheart in the same year. They spent a few days shy of the next 53 years loving each other, raising a family, and adventuring around the world.

Carl wore many different hats during his career. Initially, he spent 16 years in medical sales, and he later ran a successful engraving business. Since 2007, he had been passionate about his work as a real estate agent. Never one to sit around, Carl made it a point to always show up and do his best every day regardless of how he felt and what he was doing at the time.

Carl was actively involved in many community and personal projects. For as long as can be remembered, he loved photography. As his legacy, he leaves dozens of captivating and unique pieces of art, many of which have won awards and been featured in various magazines. Always ready to travel, much of the inspiration for his photos came from his travels around the world with Gayle and the enduring beauty he never failed to see in the world around him. In his life he managed to see much of the world and never let his limitations slow him down or keep him from making his next plan. This final transition is likely to be his greatest adventure yet and one that, in the end, he made just like all things in his life: on his terms.

Those who knew him also knew of his fascination and love for all things computers and technology. He also enjoyed regular poker games, frequent nights out with friends and trips to see live theater. A true gourmet, Carl loved to cook for family and friends. He could often be found behind his beloved grill, slow cooking or smoking food to be enjoyed by all. Most of all, he loved to see and play with his four grandchildren in both Texas and Oregon.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Helena Tichauer, and his father, Walter Tichauer. He is survived by his wife, Gayle Tichauer; his brother Fred Tichauer; his children Cory (Kolleen) Tichauer and Jayme (Mike) Buse; and his grandchildren Aralia, Zaiden, Hendrix and Zoey.

The family would like to thank his pulmonary transplant team and all the care providers at St. Joseph Hospital who provided astounding care and enduring compassion since his surgery in 2014. These past almost 9 years were a gift to him and his family that allowed Carl to create many more memories and form a lasting bond with his grandkids that would not have been possible without the donor lungs.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Carl’s honor to the lung transplant center at St. Joseph’s Foundation Norton Thoracic Institute, https://www.supportstjosephs.org/nortonthoracicinstitute.

A funeral service for Carl will be held Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at 12:00 PM at Phoenix Memorial Park and Mortuary, 200 West Beardsley Road, Phoenix, AZ 85027, followed by a graveside service at 1:00 PM.

Out of town friends and family are welcome to join for the funeral service using the following link: https://meet.google.com/onf-bbjg-qhn

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy for the Tichauer family may be shared at www.phoenixmemorialmortuary.com for the Tichauer family.