Carmen Marie Spedale Chustz

Carmen Marie Spedale Chustz passed away on January 12, 2022 in Nashville, TN. Carmen was a longstanding resident of Baton Rouge, LA, where she was born on June 4, 1940 to parents Vincent (“Buck”) and Frances Spedale. She was a graduate of both Baton Rouge High School and LSU where she made lifelong friends and memories. While at LSU, she met her beloved husband, Joseph Roy Chustz (“Roy”) and they were married for 56 years until his passing in August of 2020.

Carmen channeled her boundless love of children and nurturing spirit into teaching preschool before devoting her life to her own family as a loving wife, mother and grandmother. A consummate caretaker, she took tremendous pleasure in maintaining a loving and inviting home for her family and friends. She loved gardening, entertaining, reading, and traveling. Her ever-polite demeanor belied an endearing sense of humor which brought even more warmth to the lives of those closest to her. She was deeply committed to her Catholic faith which guided and strengthened her throughout her life, and she enjoyed being a Eucharistic minister at Our Lady of Mercy Church where she and Roy were dedicated parishioners for many years. She was beautiful in every way, and her children and grandchildren miss her dearly.

Carmen was preceded in death by her husband Joseph Roy Chustz, Jr., parents Francis Veronica D’Gerolamo Spedale and Vincent George “Buck” Spedale, brother Charles Louis “CL” Spedale, and sister Donna Leigh Spedale. She is survived by her sisters Hilda Spedale Cashen and Dolores Spedale Bryan, her children Caroline Chustz Ducas and David Roy Chustz (Pedro), and her grandchildren Grace Marie Ducas, William Roy Ducas, Julia Riley Chustz and soon-to-be-born grandson.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Mass on Saturday, January 29th at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, 445 Marquette Ave, Baton Rouge. The family wishes to extend its deepest appreciation and gratitude to Carmen’s loving caregiver and friend Elaine Brasseaux, her other compassionate and dedicated caregivers, Shelley Leiva and Dinah Lanier, and the many committed and unwavering memory care and hospice staff that serve countless loved ones in their time of need. The family also wishes to send warm thoughts of love and appreciation to all the wonderful friends and relatives in Baton Rouge who share our memories of Carmen and Roy with fondness. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Baton Rouge, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, or a charity of your choosing.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Brentwood-Roesch-PattonFuneralHome.com for the CHUSTZ family.