Christa Eshelman

Christa Scholz Eshelman, 88, of Green Valley, Arizona, passed away on August 31, 2026, at her home.

Christa was born on November 3, 1937, in Berlin, Germany, to Erich and Herta Scholz. She grew up in Berlin during the rise of the Nazi regime and the difficult years of World War II. As the Allied forces drew closer to Berlin, Christa was sent to the safety of the countryside, where she lived on a farm with an aunt, uncle, and several cousins. Throughout her life, she shared many stories of those years, giving her family a personal connection to a remarkable and difficult period in history.

Christa had two younger sisters, Vera and Gerda, both of whom preceded her in death. Her parents, Erich and Herta, remained in Berlin for the remainder of their lives and preceded her in death.

In the late 1950s, Christa met Gary Eshelman, who was serving in the U.S. Army and stationed in Berlin during the Cold War. They were married in Berlin in 1958. Shortly after their marriage, Christa traveled separately from Gary by ship to the United States. They were reunited in New York City and began their life together in America.

The newlyweds settled in Sturgis, Michigan, Gary's hometown, where they built their life together, raised their family, and both lived and worked until their retirement.

Christa was an accomplished seamstress with a remarkable talent for creating beautiful clothing. She made custom dresses for people and worked as a tailor for a men’s clothing store in Sturgis. Her creativity, skill, and attention to detail were a reflection of the care she brought to everything she did.

Family was always at the center of Christa's life. She and Gary shared a love of the outdoors and enjoyed many family camping vacations. Almost every spring, they looked forward to gathering with family and friends in Northern Michigan, where everyone would meet in Cadillac for the annual search for morel mushrooms. These gatherings became cherished traditions filled with friendship, laughter, and time spent together.

Christa was also an excellent cook and an extraordinarily gracious hostess. She had a gift for making everyone feel welcome and cared for. When Eric and Connie, their children, were young and their friends came to visit, Christa would insist that they eat something she had prepared—even if they had just finished a full dinner at home. She simply would not let anyone leave her house hungry. That generosity stayed with her throughout her life. Whether family, friends, or guests were gathered around her table, Christa showed her love by feeding them, caring for them, and making sure they were comfortable.

Although Christa and Gary never had pets of their own, Christa loved the pets belonging to Eric and Connie. She enjoyed caring for them and spoiling them just as she did her grandchildren.

After retiring, Christa and Gary moved to Green Valley, Arizona, where they made many wonderful friends and built a new chapter of their life together. Christa especially enjoyed the social times they shared with their friends and loved cooking for them.

Christa also found great fulfillment through volunteering with The White Elephant, a volunteer-led organization in Green Valley that collected household goods and made them available to families who could not afford to purchase new items. She loved volunteering there and took great pride in knowing that her efforts were helping others. Her work with The White Elephant gave her a strong sense of purpose and worth within her community.

About eight years ago, Christa and Gary moved to a senior living facility. Even as they grew older, they continued to care for each other and shared a deep devotion that had begun with their marriage nearly seven decades earlier. About a year ago, Gary's dementia progressed to the point where Christa could no longer care for him herself. With great reluctance, Gary moved to a memory-care unit within the same facility.

Later, after several falls left Christa unable to move about independently, she moved to an enhanced-care facility in the building next door to Gary. Although they could no longer live together as they once had, they remained close to one another. Christa lived there until her passing.

Above all, Christa will be remembered for her selflessness and the love she had for the people around her. She always put others before herself. What made her happiest was seeing the people she loved happy. When a family member faced a personal challenge, Christa would become deeply concerned and worry for her loved ones, always wanting to help and make things better.

Her love was expressed in countless everyday ways: through a home where no one was ever allowed to leave hungry, through the care she gave to her family and their pets, through meals prepared for friends, through her volunteer work, and simply through being there for the people she loved.

Christa is survived by her beloved husband of 68 years, Gary Eshelman; her son, Eric Eshelman (Leigh Ann); her daughter, Connie Eshelman; her grandchildren, Patrick Eshelman, Kristen Eshelman, Megan Herbst Gibbs (RJ), and Ryan Herbst (Brittany); and her great-grandchildren, Ronald “Trey” Gibbs III, Ava Herbst, and Roman Herbst.

Christa leaves behind a legacy of love, generosity, resilience, and caring that will live on through her family and friends. She will be deeply missed—not only for all that she did for those around her, but for the warmth, kindness, and love she brought into their lives.

It was Christa’s wishes that anyone wishing to support the memory of her, donate to The Animal League of Green Valley. 1) Please go to “talgv.org”; 2) click on DONATE; 3) select ‘In Memory Of”; 4) Enter Honoree Name: “Christa Eshelman”; 5) For Recipient enter “eeshelman@att.net” as the email address and her name again; 6) Then enter your information and click the buttons to process. Blessings to you for your generosity, –-The Family of Christa Eshelman.