Carl Stanford Treichel
Jan. 26, 1965-Nov. 14, 2025
Portola Valley, California
Submitted by Jeanie Treichel
Obituary of a Young Sailor
Carl Stanford Treichel was released from the grasp of Schizophrenia and Parkinson's Diseases when he died at home on November 14, 2025. He lived two lives: a brief life of joy and adventure followed by a long life in the captivity of illness. This is not a usual obituary because Carl's life was lived in two separate eras. In fact, it is more of a tragic story.
It was a miracle when Carl Stanford Treichel was born at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California, on January 26, 1965.
From birth to age 23, he was fortunate to be himself and grow into manhood gradually, normally, and experience the pleasures of life. But his life was fractured, shattered and destroyed forever when he contracted Schizophrenia, a devastating disease at age 23.
Carl's short life extended from birth to age 23. He went to Ormondale and Corte Madera Schools in Portola Valley and Woodside High School where he and his friends, Ian Cummings and Alan Hancock, biked daily to and from Portola Valley to Woodside and skied at Sugar Bowl when it snowed.
He loved his dogs: Dinka, the cocker spaniel, Wednesday, the German Shepherd, and Poopsie and Mimi, the Maltese, but especially, Poopsie, during his brief early life.
His life was rich in aquatic experiences. There was a cruise to Alaska, another of the Hawaiian Islands, and trips to Cabo San Lucas and Acapulco where he sailed catamarans. He was quite young when he went down the wild rapids of the Colorado River on a Dory with Martin Litton. And later, there was a cruise around the South American continent.
In this earlier life, he became a sailor and self-taught musician. He was a true Aquarius loving all the water activities, but especially sailing; he was a natural mariner, like his grandfather, Tancredi Nieri. Carl was an only child and shy early on, but when he learned to sail, he suddenly became "Captain Ahab" and having gained great confidence, later taught "the ropes" to younger sailors at Tiburon and Sausalito.
When he was 13, he acquired a Laser, a sailboat similar in size to a surfboard. It was meant for one but he often sailed initially with his mother, Jeanie. One day, he sailed to the San Mateo Bridge and encountered a fierce storm, forcing the Laser to "surf" dangerously all the way back to the Redwood City Harbor. The story was newsworthy and written up in Latitude 38, the sailors' "rag."
Deciding he needed a bigger boat, he then acquired a 20-foot mini-yacht, the English Signet, in which he sailed down the California coast to the Channel Islands. He was only 16. His mother Jeanie joined him for 3-weeks exploring the islands, including Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz where it seemed they were discovering a new world.
When Carl graduated from high school in 1982 at age 17, he wanted to sail around the South Pacific islands. With a one-way ticket to Tahiti, he waited until the right yacht came along for his adventure. It was the 98-foot ketch Sintra, a yacht which had been exploring all the islands including Bora Bora and Tahiti. He was hired on as the fourth mate of the crew. On the Sintra, his music flourished and he wrote over 36 original songs with beautiful lyrics.
Carl wrote of his love of the islands and the romance of the voyage into times past where their yacht was met by the islanders laden with leis to greet them at each destination. He said it was just like being in the movies.
This adventure of over a year was the zenith of his life. It was an incomparable voyage for a young vibrant sailor. Something happy to remember.
Carl's long tragic second life lasted from age 23 to 60 when he died. When he was 23, the terrible scourge of life, Schizophrenia, took over. His whole future was destroyed. There would be no career, no family, only a series of crises and suffering. Schizophrenia smothers the self. One mother, when seeing her son said, "Who are you? What have you done with my son?"
Through it all, he was strong and independent, kind and gentle. To the question, how are you?" he always replied, "I'm fine."
At this time, he was still physically fit until ... Parkinson's Disease struck and made him an instant invalid depending on pills just to walk or stand. His life then became just a routine of taking pills throughout the days with trial-and-error results.
His medication for schizophrenia was based on limiting dopamine, a brain chemical. But later when he developed Parkinson's disease, where the medication was based on increasing dopamine. So, he was simultaneously taking two contradictory medications causing various effects.
Life became a daily struggle. But music was still important in his life. He continued to play his guitar each day, and played the piano with passion. There were a few joys or other simple pleasures, such as going out for coffee each day or driving around the valley. It was a life searching for simple ephemeral pleasures.
Caretakers were required to allow him to do the things he wanted to do that he could do. Although he was strong, determined, and always wanted to do everything himself, it was a struggle. His mind was not in control of his body at all times.
Even so, his determination and spirit despite the physical and mental challenges seemed heroic. Carl was an inspiration to all who knew him and he will be remembered and missed forever.
He is survived by his mother, Jeanie Nieri Treichel, his aunt Matilda Marie Nieri, cousins Beverly Rullhausen of SF, Gina Milani of Angels Camp, Claudia Miller & Dennis Miller of Escalon, Gene Nieri, Jr. of El Dorado Hill. Pre-deceased were his father, Professor George Treichel (2008) and his siblings, Tiffany, Todd, Jennifer and David Nieri-Treichel who were born and died on the same day.
Contributing to Save the Bay in his honor would be appreciated.
