Obituary of Chantal Menser

Our beloved Chantal Anne Menser passed away peacefully in her Carmel Highlands home on the morning of June 24, 2017. She was surrounded by her loved ones overlooking the breathtaking ocean among the Monterey pines. Chantal is survived by Larry, her husband of 57 years, sisters Nadege and Michelle, daughters Alison and Laurel, grandchildren Christine, Evan, Daniela and Massimo. She will also be missed by her extended family members: sons-in-law Robert and Richard, sisters-in-law Cathy, Patty and Monika, brothers-in-law Tom, Jim, Scott and David, and nieces and nephews Jill, Lisa, Sherri, Danielle, Jeff, Hannah, Zach, Shelly and Jason. Chantal was born in France on November 13,1938 to Paulette and Phillip Moschella. During her formative years, Chantal grew up during World War II in a rural town outside of Paris, France. After the war ended, she resided with her sister in Chateau Thierry Convent for a year. The family immigrated to the United States having sailed for 10 days across the Atlantic Ocean via the USS America ocean liner landing on Ellis Island in 1942. Chantal’s family settled in Laguna Beach, California. Her father Phillip found himself re-enlisted in the Air Force as a dentist and the family lived abroad in Morocco for a year in a MASH unit. Chantal’s family migrated back to California and settled in the quaint seaside town of Seal Beach. Chantal and Larry met at a friend’s wedding and they became high school sweethearts. At the youthful age of 19, Larry asked for Chantal’s hand and they were married at St. Anne’s Church in Seal Beach. Both being competitive, Larry and Chantal played tennis together as a doubles team and singles as well. Chantal also supported her husband’s lifelong love of rare vintage cars and auto racing as his pit crew alongside their novice-mechanic daughters. They were both active Lancia Club of America members for more than four decades. Other adventures took the family to backpacking in the high Sierras where Chantal’s love of fishing remained a lifelong sport. Her passion for adventure and culture led the family to travel throughout Europe, the United Kingdom and Africa. Throughout the years, the family enjoyed Yosemite National Park in the winter as a favorite place to ski and enjoy the beauty of nature. Chantal earned her Master’s Degree in Fine Art at Long Beach State University. She gravitated towards abstract figurative art that utilized emotional themes from her childhood wartime memories. Chantal found inspiration from her family members who were frequent models in her artwork. She was an active artist in Women’s Art Makers (WAM) Association and also exhibited her artwork with the Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art (LACMA). She was described by her younger sister as visualizing her surroundings with an artistic eye. Chantal and Larry’s yearly participation in the Monterey Historic Races and love of nature led them to retire in the Carmel Highlands. The contrasting beauty of the ocean and Monterey pines convinced them to buy a historic home owned by Lester Rowntree in 1992. They were active members in the Carmel Valley Tennis Club and Chantal enjoyed her weekly outings with her social bridge club. Larry and Chantal found companionship in nurturing Dalmatians, of which they owned four in their life together (Turbo, Dino, Lacey and currently Lexie) and were frequently seen walking along trails around Carmel. To those who had the pleasure of knowing Chantal, she was a loving, creative, strong and nurturing soul who also had a keen intellect. She was an inspirational mother who taught compassion and inspired independence in her children. Chantal was a committed and passionate partner in her loving marriage to Larry. She will be sorely missed and left us too soon. A celebration of Chantal’s life will be planned at a future date. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations in her memory should be sent to The SPCA for Monterey County: 26364 Carmel Rancho Lane, Barnyard Shopping Village in Carmel. Service Information