Christine "Chrissie" A. Houser

Christine Anne “Chrissie” Houser, age 29, of Appleton, passed away peacefully at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center – Appleton on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, after a brief but severe illness. She was born on August 25, 1997, in Appleton, the daughter of Caren Starszak and the late David Houser.

Some of the best memories from her childhood included traveling to Gulf Shores and shelling on the beach with Bobby & GiGi, fishing at Pickerel Lake with Auntie Barbie & Deb, hunting for crayfish and playing “rock the boat” with her cousins Gabby, Olivia and Lizzie for hours, and going to camp as a Girl Scout. In middle school and beyond, she loved hanging with her friends and the many crazy sleepovers and adventures they had. Chrissie was the queen of rolling out sugar cookies with her sister, Catie—they loved to bake and decorate them for the holidays. She had a love of cooking. Her specialty dish was chicken & rice. Fun fact: Chrissie loved steak and she loved her vegetables, especially peas—go figure. Her favorite color was purple. She was tall, she was shy, she was pretty, she had beautiful eyes, she had a million-dollar smile, and her giggle was infectious. She loved fishing and boating with Oliver Manninen. The trip to Seabrook, Washington, in November 2024 with her girl cousins was one of her most cherished memories.

Chrissie attended Appleton North High School and received her GED in 2016.

In February of 2016, Chrissie became the thing she enjoyed the most in life: a mother, welcoming into the world her beautiful daughter, Catherine Jean. In November of 2018, Chrissie again experienced the joy and miracle of motherhood by bringing her handsome son, James David, into the world. She took immense pride in both of her children and sacrificed so much for their happiness and success. There wasn’t a thing she wouldn’t do to see them smile and thrive. She loved them as much as a mother possibly could, and then some. Chrissie shared her love and passion for soccer with them both. Her family is thankful she brought such smart, talented, beautiful, and endearing children into our lives. Chrissie will continue to live through them, and will always watch over them with love and pride.

She is survived by her mother, Caren Starszak; her children, Catherine and James Crail, and Adam Crail (their father); her brother, Alex Houser; and her sister, Amber Lowrie. She is also survived by her aunt and “fairy” godmother, Cynthia (Mark, godfather) Sanders; her namesake uncle, Christopher Starszak; uncles, Bruce (Karen) Starszak and Brian (Ellen) Starszak; stepmom, Sherry Wnek; grandma, Sandy Vales; aunts, Deb Wentz and Melissa (Jason) Braker; uncle, Thomas Lowrie; and step-grandparents, Bill (Rosanne) Lowrie. Also left to cherish her memory are her cousins, Amy (Paul) Bloch, Betsy (Jessica Tummett) Gscheidmeier, Molly (Jason) Kleberg, Ben (Amy) Sanders, Amanda (Adam) Fredrick, Lindsey (Tim) Torbeck, April (Todd) Vosters, Josh (Melissa) Sanders, and Dave Starszak, as well as many special cousins she grew up with and other relatives, friends, and special persons too numerous to list.

Chrissie was preceded in death by her father, David Houser; her sister, Catie Houser; grandparents, Robert & Gloria Starszak; grandmother, Bernadette Lowrie; grandfather, Ray Vales; special aunt, Barbara Starszak; and her uncle, David B. Starszak.

Chrissie’s “Momma,” Caren Starszak, would like to express sincere thanks to the ICU staff at ThedaCare Appleton for their compassionate care.

It is hard to find the words to express the incredibly difficult experience of losing a child, and then losing another—please hug your children, tell them you love them, and cherish every day.

A Celebration of Chrissie’s Life will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Stone Arch Brew Pub, 1004 S. Olde Oneida Street, Appleton, Wisconsin 54915.

Inurnment will be at St. Paul’s Cemetery in Combined Locks, Wisconsin, alongside her sister, Catie.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.