Deacon Joseph Cruess Eustace, age 65, of Summerville, passed away on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.

Deacon Joe was born in Waterbury, Connecticut on March 4, 1956, son of the late Robert Eustace and the late Florence Cruess Eustace.  He was also preceded in death by a son, Sean Patrick Eustace.  Prior to retirement, he worked for many years as a computer consultant with DED, HP, Sun Micro Systems, GMAC, IBM and Wipro.  He was a Deacon of the Archdiocese of Atlanta and was currently serving at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Rome.  His current ministry was working at Hays State Prison as a Chaplain.  Through that ministry, he saw a number of converts receiving baptisms and confirmations.  He served at the prison offering Communion Service weekly and Eucharistic Adoration monthly.  He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 4410 where he was a Fourth Degree Knight.

Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Anne Frances O’Connor Eustace; a son, Thomas Joseph Eustace (Autumn), Jonesboro, AR; a daughter, Shannon Maureen Pannell (Mike), Douglasville; four grandchildren, Carter Pannell, Lily Pannell, Anniston Eustace, and Alexis Eustace; two brothers, Robert Eustace (Annette) and Thomas Eustace (Cely); a sister, Charlotte Kelly; many nieces and nephews.

The Funeral Mass for Deacon Joe will be held on Thursday, March 3, 2022, at 10am at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 901 N. Broad Street, Rome.  The Funeral Mass will be concelebrated by Fr. Valery Akoh and Fr. Rafael Carballo.  Masks are required for all attendees.  A private committal service will be held later in St. Mary’s Memorial Garden.

The family will receive friends at Henderson & Sons Funeral Home, North Chapel, 4900 Martha Berry Highway, Rome, on Wednesday from 4 until 7pm.

Mike Pannell, Carter Pannell, Joe Otnisky, as well as Fourth Degree Knights and Brother Knights of Council 4410 will serve as active and honorary pallbearers and are asked to assemble at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Thursday at 9:45am.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital at www.stjude.org, or to the St. Joseph Cafasso Prison Ministries, 12460 Crabapple Road, Ste 202-213, Alpharetta, GA 30004.

Henderson & Sons Funeral Home, North Chapel, has charge of the arrangements.