Christopher T. Muschalek Scholarship Fund

Christopher Muschalek, 54, passed away in May 2023 after a two-year battle against pancreatic cancer. He grew up in a small Texas town south of Houston and developed a lifelong fascination with Texas history and architecture at a young age. He was never much of a student until his junior year of high school, when everything clicked and he began to love school. Christopher went on to earn his undergraduate degree from University of Houston - Victoria in 1993. He enjoyed a career in commercial and residential construction. You can see Chris’ work up and down the Texas coast. When he was 47, Chris decided to follow a life dream and get his Masters in Architecture from UTSA, completing the program in 2019. Upon graduation, he moved to Austin where he met Stacy, an interior designer and residential contractor. They spoke the same language from the first moment they met. They began collaborating on projects together--a true match made in heaven--and married in November of 2022. Christopher loved learning. He had to understand the nuts and bolts of everything--whether it was how a car engine worked, how to build a deck or what happens when a cold front comes in. He was in constant pursuit of knowledge, and became quite the Renaissance man. Christopher collected bricks from buildings across Texas, and took his three children to every historical site he could find. He loved music and was always listening to something, often texting songs to his family telling us all it was the “greatest song ever written." His range included Yaz, the Cranberries, Joe Walsh, James Taylor, the Beastie Boys, MIA, and everything in between. Chris lived a very full life as a teacher, a builder, a history lover, and an architectural genius. But most importantly he was a father, grandfather, husband, son, brother, and loyal friend.