Charles Smith Chandler of Farmersville, Texas passed away on March 28, 2019 at the age of 94. On an early cold morning on February 18, 1925 he was born to Clyde and Thelma (Howard) Chandler in McKinney, Texas. Charles went to public school in McKinney through high school, graduating from Boyd High School in 1942. From the age of nine, he sold magazines, delivered circulars and the Dallas Times Herald, and worked in a grocery store before and after school. After graduation, Charles worked at the Central National Bank in the bookkeeping department, operating a posting machine. After one year of college at North Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College in Arlington, Texas and at North Texas State Teachers College in Denton, Texas, he entered the United States Navy and proudly served his country. His major in high school and first year of college was business, with a Certified Public Accountant goal. With three years of military service, Charles was discharged in 1946, as a Pharmacist Mate Second Class as a Dental Technician. Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas was his choice for a BA Degree in 1949 with a major in Bible and minor in education. He was editor of the college yearbook, the “Prickly Pear”, in 1949. Among other activities, Charles was a member of Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. Upon graduation, he became manager of the Student Center at the college for two years while earning a Masters of Arts Degree in 1951 from Hardin Simmons University in Abilene with a major in Secondary Education and minor in Bible. Charles married Sue Looney in 1950 and they soon moved to New England to do mission work for the Churches of Christ. Several congregations of the church were begun and matured over the next 40 years and he taught school for some time. Four adopted children, three girls and one boy graced their home. One daughter was an invalid in a nursing home, and they have eleven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, with one grandson being deceased. Charles and Sue worked many summers in youth camps teaching Bible as well as purchasing supplies and cooking for 250 people per meal. In 1973, Charles attended a one year post graduate internship school, The School of Practical Evangelism in Arlington, Texas. Succeeding years were concentrated more in teaching, but also included preaching. They trained Christians for 16 years in over 100, 26 hour seminars on how to teach others one on one. Charles co-authored a series of five Bible study lessons for one on one studying. Numerous overseas mission trips were made from six to ten weeks duration in Europe, Zimbabwe, Australia and New Zealand. In 1990 they moved to work in Eastern Europe and Russia, preaching and teaching English as a second language using the Bible as a text. They also trained new converts how to teach the Bible to others in their own languages. Their work took them to more than 30 countries until 2004. At that time it was necessary that they terminate their work due to Sue’s progressive Alzheimer’s disease. She was in a nursing facility for three years, before her passing. After that, Charles lived alone in Farmersville, doing some teaching and preaching as afforded opportunities arose.
Charles is survived by his children, Charles Paul Chandler and wife, Lisa of Rowlett, Texas, Lesa Pearsall of Lowell, North Carolina and LaRue Brewer and husband, Keith of Arlington, Texas; eight grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; sister, Anna Robinson and husband, Jerry of McKinney, Texas; and a host of other loving family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Thelma Chandler; his wife, Sue Chandler; his daughter, Lynda McMillan; and his sister, Virginia Rose.
A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, April 4, 2019 at Farmersville Church of Christ, 310 Hwy 78, Farmersville, Texas 75442. Interment will follow at Ridgeview Memorial Park, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013. The family will receive friends during a visitation on Wednesday evening from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Hurst’s Fielder Baker Funeral Home, 107 N. Washington, Farmersville, Texas 75442.