Obituary of Mary Chandler

It is our greatest sorrow to announce that our beloved mother/grandmother/sister, friend, family matriarch, spiritual compass, our foundational support, feisty flame, and compassionate example of a human being Mary Chandler has left us on October 8, 2013. Mary fell a few weeks prior to her passing and was undergoing physical therapy. However, being 94, and suffering from heart complications already, Mary's body and heart were tired and she passed away in her sleep early in the morning.

If we were to run your common obituary it would state something like this: Mrs. Mary Jane Chandler, 94, passed away Tuesday, October 8, 2013. Mary was a life time member of the Telephone Pioneers of America and an loved to sew. She grew up in Pitstburgh Pennsylvania, and was survived by her daughter, Cynthia Miller, her Son in law, Brian Miller, two step-daughters, Peggy Barrick, and Jan Bray, Grandchildren, Preston Miller, Karsten Miller, and Brianna Shepard-Miller, and grandson in law Jason Shepard-Miller.

However, this would never do for the woman that we know as "larger than life", and in this case, "greater than death". Mary was born in 1919 to Mary and Michael Skalarski in the town of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. She was the 4th out of 5 children, and 3rd daughter to her family. Michael and Mary, her father and mother, were first generation immigrants to the US from the Ukraine. Michael was a coal miner in the mines of Pennsylvania, and as such, the family often moved around. A mine dried up, work went elsewhere. She spent her youth growing up in coal mining towns across Pennsylvania, her and her (at the time) 4 siblings. In the mornings, at break of dawn, Mary would go from house to house and offer to scrub the front porches of neighboring houses, which were often black and gray from the coal soot, for 10 cents a porch. When she wasn't doing that she was in school, or carrying water back and forth to the coal miner baths to earn extra money for the family. In the evening, Mary would sit watch over the "pot" while her mother and father caught some sleep. I remember her often saying "My mom used to go to bed, and she would tell me "When that little thing starts dripping water, come and get me"." Mary's mother was making moonshine and selling it on the side to support her family.

When Mary was about 16, her older sister, Katherine, and her left the family home to find work in Detroit Michigan. Mary worked in a general store, and both sisters took an apartment room, on the second floor above the shop. At night the girls would attend dances in town, or ice cream parlors, escorted to and from by their latest interest (always traveling together, never alone. Both girl always remembered to send home money to their family still back in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

Suddenly, everything changed! WWII began and Mary, Katherine, and all her brother's and sisters were eager to help. Mary signed up to work on as a seamstress sewing seats, and linings, netting, etc. for military planes. She often worked right along side other mechanics in aiding the work on American planes. For the time, her sister Katherine and her separated, Katherine off to the WAC and Mary working on military aircraft. It was at this time that she met the love of her live, and soon to be husband Charles Chandler. After the war Charles continued to court Mary and the couple were married by a Justice of the Peace in Bolling Green Ohio on January 8, 1949 and honeymooned at Niagra Falls. Charles had children from a previous marriage that would visit every summer, and spend time with their dad and Mary. Together they had one child, a flaxen curly haired little girl named Cindy.

The couple worked hard together to build a life for their family, at one point running a little bar in Detroit, Michigan that Mary managed while Charles was on the road as a long haul truck driver for Commercial Carriers delivering Detroit's finest automobiles across the USA. Mary's love for sewing never ceased and she was often spending her spare time designing and sewing dresses for herself, her neighbors, her daughter, and later her grand children.

Once the couple moved to Florida they began acquiring rental properties to generate extra income, both still working themselves- Chuck as truck driver, and Mary as a telephone operator for Bellsouth. At this time Mary moved her mother down from up North to care for here in her elder years after here father passed away.

In 1981 they welcomed their first grandchild, the first of three.

In 1984 Chuck was diagnosed with cancer, and was cared for out of the couples home till he went to meet the lord. After suffering the loss of her companion, Mary decided to retire from the phone company and focus on her family and her hobbies. She cared for all three of her grandchildren while Cindy and her husband Brian worked. After the couple were done with work they'd come and pick up their kids, and often a family dinner that Mary would lovingly cook during the day, and seal up for the family to take home with the grand kids (this BTW was the reason we were able to sit at the table every night as a family and have dinner).

Mary's grandchildren have very fond memories of spending time with their grandmother, baking, cooking, and telling stories. Sleepovers with grandma were a regular occurrence, as were ice cream sundaes, couch snuggle sessions, and lots of outdoor play time. Whenever the kids were sick, is was straight to grandma's house for TLC, hot soup, and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Mary loved all of her family and loved her home. She was the corner stone of family that would grow with very deep roots steeped in tradition, a respect for each other, and a since of togetherness that is often lost in today's hectic world.

At 80 Mary had open heart surgery (very uncommon for a woman her age, but she was healthy and strong, so the doctors agreed to complete the operation). In 2006 Mary later suffered a stroke after cataract surgery. The stroke took Mary's sight from her, and also one of her most treasured past times, sewing. In September of 2013 Mary suffered a fall in her home. She was in the hospital and in rehab for approx 4 weeks. The doctors explained that there was fluid around Mary's heart but they were trying to control it with medication, and were hopeful for her return home. Unfortunately she was taken from this world October 8 2013. She will be deeply missed and a void that no one will ever be able to fill has been left with the ones who love her. However, we will cherish her memory and all do our part every day to uphold the heritage and life and love that she has given to us.,

If Mary had a chance to tell us something before she left us it would be that she loved us, and take care of each other, remember that there is no substitute for family.... and of course, to drive safely.