Dr. Robert O'Neal Chadwick Sr.

October 19, 1929 - November 11, 2020

A Mass of Catholic Burial was celebrated for Robert O’Neal Chadwick on November 13, 2020, at St. Rita Catholic Church with the Reverend Anthony “Raj” Dharmaraj officiating and under the direction of John Kramer & Son Funeral Home. Burial was at Greenwood Memorial Park Cemetery, immediately following the Mass. Born in Bayou Goula, Louisiana on October 19, 1929, Dr. Chadwick died in his home in Alexandria on November 11, 2020 surrounded by his family. Dr. Chadwick is survived by his 5 children: Mary Chadwick Hancock and her husband, Brian Hancock; Robert O’Neal Chadwick Jr. and his fiancee, Carol White; Catherine Chadwick Kaetzer and her husband, Tom Kaetzer; Susan Chadwick Brame and her husband, Rich Brame;and Herbee Chadwick and his wife, Zibby Chadwick. He is also survived by his 12 grandchildren: Laura Catherine Hancock Swarts, Robert Brian Hancock, Eleanor Wagner Chadwick, David O’Neal Chadwick, O’Neal Chadwick Kaetzer, Robert Henry Kaetzer, William Zielke Kaetzer, Mary Susan Roberts Kaetzer, Mary Marshall Brame, Catherine Engelke Brame,Lucy Elizabeth Chadwick, and Andrew O’Neal Chadwick; by his 5 great-grandchildren: Harper Catherine Swarts, Henry O’Neal Swarts, Hayes Edward Swarts, Samuel James Kaetzer, and Lily Catherine Kaetzer; and by his sister, Catherine Chadwick Helm and brother, John Richard Chadwick. He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 57 years, Susan Roberts Chadwick; his parents,Rufus Herbert Chadwick and Catherine Supple Chadwick; his brothers, William Supple Chadwick and Rufus Herbert Chadwick, a sister, Mary Josephine Chadwick; and his great-grandson, Thomas Robert Kaetzer. Born and raised in Bayou Goula, Louisiana, Dr. Chadwick nurtured his lifelong passion for fishing and hunting there. He and his brothers endlessly walked the fields hunting dove and paddled the shores of the Mississippi tributaries fishing for just about anything that would bite. For most of his life, he and his family spent summers at Grand Isle, where he became an expert speckled trout fisherman, a pastime he enjoyed throughout his life. Tennis was also a lifelong avocation. He played as a child, and as an adult he gathered with friends at the courts every Thursday afternoon for hours of fun, competitive tennis, followed by a few cold ones at the local watering hole. He passed his love of the game to all of his children, spending hours with them on the court trying, often in vain, to convey the finer points of the game. Educated for two years by the Jesuits at Spring Hill College, Dr. Chadwick completed his Bachelor’s degree and attended medical school at Tulane University in New Orleans, after which he completed his internship and residencies at Confederate Memorial Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. He served as a Captain in the Medical Corp of the U.S. Air Force from 1956 to 1958. He and Mary Susan Roberts, of Shreveport, were married in 1957. They moved to Alexandria with their first three children in 1963, where they lived for the rest of their lives. A devoted father in every way, Dr. Chadwick guided his five children and later his grandchildren with patience and humor. Dr. Chadwick practiced radiology, privately and at Rapides General Hospital, in Alexandria from 1963 until his retirement. As a physician, he was respected by colleagues for his professionalism and compassion. He was a member of numerous professional societies, and he served on multiple local boards, including St. Mary’s Residential Training School, Kent House, Rapides Symphony, and the Alexandria Aquatic and Racquet Club. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to St. Rita Catholic Church, 3822 Bayou Rapides Road, Alexandria, LA 71303 or the charity of your choice. To extend online notes of condolence to the Chadwick Family, please visit www.KramerFunerals.com.