O.W. (Blackie) Chandler and Doris Isabella Haraway

Graveside services for both O.W. (Blackie) Chandler (85) of Tanner, and his wife of sixty-seven years Doris Isabella Haraway (86) will be held at Limestone Memorial Gardens on US-31 at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, July 16, 2020. Officiating will be Ralph Johnson, a former Tanner Methodist pastor. Spry Funeral Home is directing.

Both are survived by three sons: Roger Chandler (Julie), Barry Chandler (Patricia), and Donald Chandler (Martha). Also left behind are six grandchildren: Candice Rogers (Ben), Jason Chandler (Sarah), Grant Chandler (Allison), Morgan Yohn (Brandon), Allie Harris (Jake), Jessie Chandler, and eleven great grandchildren. In addition, there are many nieces and nephews and a large family of cousins who will mourn their passing.

Preceding Mr. Chandler are his parents Onus and Pearlie Chandler of Lexington, AL. and his brother Walter Chandler. Surviving him are two sisters Patricia Bolen and Faye Gooch and one brother Morris Chandler. Preceding Mrs. Chandler are her parents Henry Lee Haraway and Ora Idell Haraway.

Surviving her are one sister Neva Huffaker and two brothers Coy and Alton Haraway. Mr. Chandler served in the U.S. Navy. Afterwards, he worked at the Army Ballistic Missile Agency and later retired from NASA. As he often said, “Retirement is hard, but someone has to do it.” He loved to have the time to garden, and shared the bounty with his friends, family, and neighbors. He hunted and fished and made the best deer jerky and hush puppies. His chicken stew was sought after at the church events and throughout the Tanner community, and he grilled many a hot dog and hamburger at the Tanner Tractor Pull.

Mrs. Chandler studied at a business college and soon afterward worked at TVA. After she took a leave to take care of her children, she began work at Safeguard Logistics Command of the Army. She later was an administrative assistant at Missile Research and Development Engineering Center where she retired in 1993. She was an excellent seamstress and excelled at all needlecraft. She sewed for all her grandchildren from Halloween costumes to crib bedding and everything in between. She was very active in her church and tried to participate in all events from Easter Egg Hunts to graduation breakfasts for Tanner Seniors and parents. She visited and sat with the sick, and brought food to all who needed it. Both grandparents spent a great deal of time with their grandchildren. They camped, fished, played endless games of Joker. They sought to attend all events from ballgames to piano recitals. And when the grandchildren were married, they traveled from Colorado to Mobile to see the great grands. Three more great grands are due in the fall; they will miss not knowing their grandparents as their parents did.

The family asks for social distancing at the service due to Covid19. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Tanner Methodist Church, P.O. Box 238, Tanner, AL 35671