Carmen Nadine Stuart

She graduated from Daniel Wertz Elementary School in 1939, F.W. Reitz High School 1943, Lockyears Business College 1945 and the Barbizon School for Modeling in NYC 1949. During the Great flood of 1937 she and her mother and sister were evacuated from Howell in chest deep water on a cow catcher (front part of a steam locomotive) of an L&N engine. They rode from Howell to Franklin Street just above where Mead Johnson’s offices are today. In 1942, while attending Reitz, she was the first woman to be awarded the school band’s “First Chair for Clarinet”. She began singing professionally locally at the Hotel McCurdy, Trocadero Club and the Colonial Club with prominent band leader, Charlie Kroner. During World War II she performed at many area USO locations throughout the tri-state area, including the bases at Camp Breckinridge and Fort Campbell, KY, entertaining thousands of overseas bound airborne troops. In 1947, she moved to NYC and lived with her aunt on Park Ave. while attending the Barbizon school and working floor shows at night clubs in NYC, Montreal, Boston and New Orleans. Her performances included two performances on the “TED Mack Amateur Hour”, television’s first major network show, and the forunner of today’s “Americas Got Talent”. In 1952, Carmen returned to Evansville, where her son was born, and did many local area shows including the WEHT show “Songs for You”, with several appearances at Central Turners and Roberts Stadium. In 1954 she was signed to play a lead role in Guy Lombardo’s “Arabian Nights” off Broadway for three seasons at the Jones Beach Marine Theatre. The New York Times gave several sparkling reviews of her performances. In 1958 she was signed as a feature performer on the ocean liner S.S. Brazil, sailing from Miami to the Caribbean and South America (4 seasons) until 1962. The ship sailed into Havana harbor and disembarked passengers at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. In later years she was a 22 year member of Trinity Methodist Church where her mother, Eleanor, had played organ for decades. She was a volunteer in the Grandparents Pre-School Program at Daniel Wertz Elementary School and the St. James Catholic School for many years.

Carmen is survived by her son, Michael; and grandchildren, Jennifer, Dennis and Richard.

Funeral services will be held 5:00 PM Tuesday, November 17, 2015, the Alexander West Chapel, with graveside services held 10:00 AM Wednesday, November 18, 2015, at Alexander Memorial Park. Friends may visit Tuesday from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Vanderburgh Humane Society in memory of Carmen. Condolences may be made online at www.AlexanderWestChapel.com.