Christina Schau
October 3, 1950 - February 28, 2023
Resident of Novato
On Tuesday, February 28, 2023, longtime Novato resident, Christina Louise (Mosich) Schau passed away peacefully at the age of 72 at home surrounded by her husband, Richard, her son, Adrian (Emily), and her three grandchildren (Drew, Natalie, and Cecily). She was born in Tacoma, Washington on October 3, 1950 to Nick and Louise Mosich of Yugoslavia (now Croatia). Chris was the youngest and only girl in a house with three older brothers: Harvey, Harold, and Nick. Chris graduated from Oregon State University where she met her husband, Richard Schau. After graduating college, she moved to Marin County and began her professional career in publishing with DC Heath and finished her working career in the financial services field with Associated Securities and Fidelity Investments.
Chris had many joys in life. She enjoyed being outdoors hiking, biking or kayaking, cheering on the Giants, watching her son play baseball, reeling in or eating a salmon, family trips to Tahoe, and enjoying the company of her closest family and friends.
A quote that Chris loved and had on her desk at home for as long as we can remember is “the most difficult journeys always end in the most beautiful destinations.” Along the journey of life, Chris visited some amazing locations best captured in person rather than pictures, met some amazing people who touched her life as much as she touched theirs, and learned how to navigate a complicated healthcare system with unmatched grace for those she encountered and those who wanted to help her continue to life to the fullest. Chris was a constant optimist, determined never to let the disease that took her life define who she was. She was an idol to many and a mentor to all – constantly encouraging those around her to find or develop the best version of themselves. She will be best remembered for her laughter, her smile, and her ability to bring out the best in those around her. She was a proud spouse to Richard for 50 years, proud mother to Adrian for 41 years, and proud grandparent three times over for the past 14 years. Gone too soon is what we will continue to say, but not forgotten. Chris never wanted anything to be about her, but we are going to flip the script and invite you to share her life with us at Valley Memorial Park in Novato and make March 23rd all about Chris.
Lastly, we would like to thank the care teams at UCSF Medical Center and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance these past six years for providing a coordinated level of care and giving her and everyone in her life the one thing we all desire most – more time together. To our family and friends near and far away, thank you for the support and love over the years – we will continue to cherish our memories together.
In lieu of flowers, loved ones may donate to the following organization(s) in her honor: Planned Parenthood (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/), The Nature Conservancy (https://www.nature.org/en-us/), or the US National Parks (https://www.npca.org/).