Carmen Maria Nunez

On Sunday, December 31, 2023, the beloved Carmen María Núñez passed away peacefully at home.

She was 88 years old and lived in Oswego, IL with her daughter and son-in-law.

Born on September 30, 1935, in Barrio Piletas, Lares, Puerto Rico, she is the daughter of the late Felix Segarra and Juana Lugo. In 1952, she married the late Corporal José Núñez Ramos, but while he was stationed at the Panama Canal, during the Korean War, she continued her studies and graduated high school in 1962. Her high school yearbook has an entry that said "La vecina más cercana de la Escuela Superior siempre vino lo más guapa y luchó con gran tesón." In 1966, Carmen left Puerto Rico to move to Chicago with her husband. Soon after, they had their first child in 1967 and a second in 1973. They lived in Humboldt Park, Chicago.Carmen had such a profound love for her family that shortly after the birth of her first granddaughter, she immediately retired to be a full-time abuela. For many years she took care of her two granddaughters. That same love stayed alive in the food she cooked. Carmen loved Christmas because it was a time when she would make pasteles, arroz con gandules, pernil, and of course, her extra strong coquito. Her cooking was full of amazing flavors and love. Carmen also loved tending to her roses and petunias. On the weekends, you would find her full of joy as she pruned her flower bushes.As the arthritis began to take a toll on her body, she channeled her energy to making art. She made drawings of flowers titled "Flores de mi jardín" and she would make winter scarves out of yarn in many different colors. Anyone that came by the house to visit would get a drawing with flowers or a winter scarf.

Carmen is survived by her children Myrna Luz Núñez (John) and José Núñez Jr. (Jennifer Piessens); two granddaughters, Ambar Colón and Amanda Colón; her sisters Aurora "Loly" Cardona (Emilio), Francisca "Panchi" Infante (Vicente), Olga González (Haroldo), and her brother Felix "Felito" Segarra (Obdulia a.k.a. "Yuya").

A visitation will be held on Sunday, January 7th at Dunn Family Funeral Home with Crematory, 1801 S. Douglas Road, Oswego, IL from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Saint Anne Catholic Church, 551 Boulder Hill Pass, Oswego, IL on Tuesday, January 9th at 10:00 a.m.,

Family and Friends are asked to arrive at 12:45 P.M. at the Information Center at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery 20953 W. Hoff Road Elwood, IL. For committal service at 1:00 P.M.

Expressions of sympathy may be directed to the family at P.O. Box 665 Oswego, IL 60543.

For information: 630/554-3888 or www.dunnfamilyfuneralhome.com