Monica J Chesnut

Monica J Chesnut, 78, passed away peacefully Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to all who knew her, and she will be deeply missed by all those whose lives she blessed.

Interment: 10 a.m. on Thursday, December 22 at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Monica’s name to the charities and organizations she supported, including the SPCA, or a charity of your choice.

Monica J. Daniel was born in Luling, Texas on February 14, 1944, to Edwin J and Lila June (Calhoun) Daniel. Surrounded and supported by her loving family, she developed an independent and generous spirit that she carried with her throughout her life. Growing up in Luling, she often visited her extended family on their ranches in the Texas Hill Country near Wimberley and Dripping Springs. After the family moved to Arlington, Texas in 1958, she graduated from Arlington High School in 1961. It was there where she first met the love of her life and future husband, John Chesnut. As employees of Six Flags over Texas, they were both selected to work at the Texas Pavilion of the New York World’s Fair in 1964. During their time in New York, they started their courtship, and they were married in November 1965 at Woods Chapel Baptist Church, just a mile from what became their longtime home in Arlington. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from North Texas State University in 1966 and started teaching for the Arlington Independent School District, where she overlapped with her mother for several years before June’s retirement. Monica navigated her husband’s deployment to Vietnam, raised four children, earned a master’s in education from TCU in 1990, and ultimately retired after an epic 35-year career of teaching second graders at Roark, Foster, and Morton Elementaries. She inspired generations of students, and the legacy she left with us also lives on with them. Outside of the classroom, Monica’s passions in life were her family and her gardening. She was a devoted mother of four and grandmother of seven, and she was actively involved in all their lives. They will truly cherish their memories of the constant smell of baked goods in the kitchen, her gift for conversation, her gentle yet strong nature, her love of animals, her green thumb, and her optimistic outlook.

Her family is eternally grateful for the dedicated and attentive care she received from Dr. Jack Gilbey, Betsy Bauer, Tharu Ponnambalam and the entire team at Arlington Memorial Hospital. Their thoughtful and kind support helped Monica and her family immensely over the past several years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edwin and June Daniel; and brother, Shelby Daniel.

Survivors: Her husband, John, her brothers, David Daniel and William (Bill) Daniel, both of Arlington; children, Jeff Chesnut and his wife Michelle Lakey Chesnut, Jason Chesnut and his wife Ann Thames Chesnut, Jared Chesnut and his wife Stephanie West Chesnut, Catherine Chesnut McCain and her husband Matt McCain, and grandchildren, Will, Hannah, Caroline, Claire, Lily, Luke and Lila, who collectively adored her.