Joseph N. Gittelman

Joe Gittelman, born on April 23, 1937, to Arthur J. Gittelman and Anna Zion Gittelman, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, July 25, 2024, surrounded by family and caregiving angels. A very special thank you to Dr. Shannon Schrader and his amazing staff. For 20 years, he has been an angel to Joe. In the last five years, Dr. Schrader was available 24 hours a day, whenever we needed help and advice. In Joe's final hours, Dr. Schrader's unwavering support and care were invaluable, as he practically carried Joe across the heavenly bridge. Joe leaves behind a legacy of remarkable achievements and cherished memories. Joe’s educational journey began at Central High School in Philadelphia, where he graduated in 1954. He then earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1957. His thirst for knowledge led him to New York University, where he obtained his master’s degree in 1960. Joe was headed to UC Berkeley for a position, he stopped in Ann Arbor and was invited to stay at the University of Michigan for work and school, which he accepted. Six years later, Joe had earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan. His professional career took off when he caught the attention of a man at Shell Oil during a presentation at an Acoustical Conference while in Michigan. Joe’s 27-year journey with Shell began starting in the Shell Lab and eventually moving to Offshore and Onshore Divisions in New Orleans. He served as an exploration manager until 1982, after which he transferred to Houston to become the General Manager for the Alaskan region. In 1984, Joe assumed the role of GM for E&P Research, and in 1987, he became GM of Exploration for onshore US operations, including Alaska. His final position was as GM of Geophysics at Shell Oil Exploration’s head office in downtown Houston, where he worked until his retirement in 1994. Not one to rest, Joe founded Danlier, an oil and gas consulting business, which thrived until early 2024. Beyond work, Joe found joy in family, lake house projects, and fishing—often catching more fish than he could eat. A skilled bridge player, Joe competed both for fun and money. However, his true relaxation came from playing cribbage with his buddies. Known as “Gittelgoose,” he proudly defended his title week after week for an impressive 50 years. His last game was on July 17, 2024, with his lifetime cribbage partners. Joe is survived by his loving wife, Dianna, his sons Eric and Dan (along with their wives, Linda and Catherine), his daughter Lisa (and her husband, Jason), and his five grandchildren: Logan, Lindsey, Drake, Savannah, and Addison. He is preceded in death by his father, Arthur, his mother, Anna, and his brother, Bernie. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, August 11, 2024, at Congregation Emanu El in the Proler Chapel, 1500 Sunset Blvd., Houston, TX 77005. Following the service, a reception will take place at 2027 Drexel Dr., Houston, TX 77027. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to St. Jude’s Hospital or T2T.org at the following links. http://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/Josephgittelman https://dogood.t2t.org/campaign/in-memory-of-joseph-gittelman/c606147 May Joe’s memory continue to bring comfort and inspiration to all who knew him.

Joseph N. Gittelman

April 23, 1937 - July 25, 2024