Juanita Nesbit Metz

Juanita Mae Nesbit “Toot” Metz, age 98, passed away surrounded by her family on Friday, February 24, 2023. A native and lifelong resident of Baton Rouge, she loved to share stories of the history of the city. Born on June 18, 1924 to Edward Burden Nesbit and Pearl Eloise Peltier Nesbit, she graduated from Baton Rouge High in 1941 and attended LSU, where she was a member of Tiger Band and Alpha Phi Sorority and met and married Edward Robert Metz, Jr. She began her career at Esso Refinery before WWII, while he served overseas in the Army. After many years there, she returned to LSU to earn her Masters degree and became a teacher at Goodwood Elementary School where she served for 26 years. As a retired educator, she continued to teach all those she came in contact with. Whether serving as a volunteer reader at Melrose Elementary, teaching her grandchildren to play hymns on the piano, or showing her daughters and granddaughters how to sew and crochet, she shared what she knew and loved, including the treasured family dressing recipe! She showed others how to serve the community with grace and dignity as a loyal friend and an advocate for all in need. She loved to volunteer at St. Vincent DePaul Pharmacy, for her sorority at LSU, and was always there for special occasions for her grandchildren. She adored them and supported the causes they were involved in, including The National Park Service, Nature Conservancy, The Emerge Center, Volunteers in Public Schools, The Bridge Center For Hope, and LSU School of Education. She was an avid reader and loved to attend the Our Lady of Mercy Called By Faith Bible Study where she made many lifelong friends. She was a member of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church for over 70 years, and before the pandemic she could be found in the front pew every Sunday at 6pm.

Juanita was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Pearl Nesbit; her husband Edward Metz; her sister, Roberta Catherine Nesbit McDonald; and brother-in-law, Michael Francis McDonald, Sr. She is survived by two daughters, Mary Susan Metz Dornier (Rene’); Elizabeth “Betty” Metz DeMars (Tom); eight grandchildren, Robert Dornier; Douglas Dornier (Jenny); Richard Dornier (Mauri); Miree’ Dornier Edman (Chris); David Dornier (Katie); Elizabeth DeMars Boudreaux (Paul); Thomas Clarke DeMars (fiancée Lee Benson); and Camille DeMars. Her great grandchildren are Amy and Julie Dornier, Aiden and Braxton Edman, Audrey Dornier, Melody Boudreaux, and Rory Dornier. She is also survived by her loving nieces and nephew, Cathy Dardenne (Jay); Carol Giurintano; and Michael McDonald, Jr (JoAnn) and a host of other family members.

Because her favorite color was pink, please feel free to wear it as we honor her. Visitation will be at 9am Saturday, March 4, at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, 445 Marquette Avenue, until a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Father Cleo Milano at 10am. Interment will be at Roselawn Memorial Park followed by a reception at the home of Tom and Betty DeMars. Her eight grandchildren will serve as pallbearers, and honorary pallbearers will be her sons-in-law, Rene’ Dornier and Tom DeMars.

The family would like to express our unending gratitude to her caregivers and confidantes, Quainterri Shockley, Carroll Day, Betty Tureaud and Alicia Richbourg, and her special friend Sherri Noorman, as well as the staff at Sunrise Senior Living and Audubon Hospice for their kindness and devoted care. Contributions in her honor can be made to Our Lady of Mercy School, 400 Marquette Avenue; The Emerge Center, 7784 Innovation Park Drive; or The Society of St. Vincent DePaul, 220 St. Vincent DePaul Drive.

To view and sign the online guestbook, please visit www.rabenhorst.com.