Shelby L. Chandler

Shelby Lee Chandler (78) of Port Charlotte, Florida passed away due to complications from a COVID-induced pneumonia on August 25, 2021.  An open Memorial Service will be held for him at Sarasota Military Cemetery (9810 Clark Rd, Sarasota, FL 34241) on September 20, 2021, at 11:00 am and flowers will be accepted.

Shelby was born on October 10, 1942, in Cincinnati, Ohio to William Price Chandler of Owsley, Kentucky and Barbara Katherine Wilson of Paris, Kentucky.  He had four brothers (Jerry, Gene, Robert, and David) and many cousins, nieces and nephews; loving relatives throughout the United States who kept close communications with him over the years. 

He retired as both an Infantry Sergeant in the United States Army and then as an executive administrator in Security Management for a multi-hospital system in Los Angeles.  He served three tours in Vietnam and was a civilian instructor for military training programs out of Central Texas College in Killeen, Texas. 

He was stationed in places as far as Vietnam to Germany, from Australia to Panama and has made his way to just about every state in the union.  He made a home in various suburbs such as Washington DC, Los Angeles, the Canal Zone, Colorado Springs, and El Paso but happily chose to spend the rest of his life around the areas of Tampa Bay, Fort Myers, and Port Charlotte.

He was once married to Deyanira Gonzales and had four children: Rebecca Annette Winfield (w/ Vernon Waldron) of Port Charlotte, Florida, Barby Hobcroft (w/ Aaron Hobcroft) of Culpeper, Virginia, Shelby Lee Chandler II (w/ Holly Chandler) of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and William Michael Chandler of Denver, Colorado.  

Shelby Chandler had sixteen grandchildren (Celiz Plaza, Lorena Winfield. James Winfield II, Aaron Chandler, Joseph Simpson, Benjamin Saul, Daniel Hobcroft, Mathew Hobcroft, Chloe Hale, Lauren Chandler, Kathryn Chandler, Sara Chandler, Johnny Hansen, Kristine Sinsheimer, William Chandler II and Alysha Chandler) and twenty-eight great-grandchildren. 

He will be in the hearts and prayers of those who knew and loved him.