Don Alton Chandler died on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006.
He was born Aug. 23, 1930, in Rock Spring, Walker County, Ga., to John Edward Chandler and Mae Day Chandler. He was a 1949 graduate of LaFayette High School and received an associate’s degree in business from the University of Georgia in 1956. From 1950 through 1954, he served in the U.S. Navy.
He was a retired Ace Hardware dealer with business interests in the Northwest Georgia and Southeastern Tennessee regions. In 1986, the Ace Hardware Corp. awarded him "The Ace Hardware Distinguished Dealer Award for Lifetime Contributions to the Hardware Industry." He served as chairman of the board and president of the Georgia-Florida Southern Association.
He was a dedicated member and deacon of First Baptist Church of LaFayette, and served the church in various roles.
Involved in various civic activities, he was president of the LaFayette Merchants Association, a charter member of the LaFayette Optimist Club and was a member, past president and Paul Harris Fellow of the Trion-Summerville, Ga., Rotary Club. He was a past commander of the American Legion, Ross Graham Post 87 and had been very active in the Boy Scouts of America.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Lebron, Lawrence and Vestal Chandler.
He is survived by his wife, Doris Pickard Chandler, of LaFayette; son, Don Edward Chandler; daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Way Chandler; son, Douglas Vincent Chandler; daughter-in-law, Dyan Rayburn Chandler; and granddaughters, Lily Alton Chandler and Emma Scott Chandler, of Atlanta; brother, Harold Dwynell Chandler, of Trion, Ga.; brother-in-law, Ray Wesley Pickard; and sister-in-law, Edith Shaver Pickard of Calhoun, Ga.; goddaughters, Marie Wallis Ivey and Pamela Wallis Chapman, of Chattanooga. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at First Baptist Church in LaFayette on Friday at 11 a.m. Service conducted by Dr. Warren Morehead and Dr. Todd Gaddis. Interment will be in LaFayette Memory Gardens officiated by the Honorable Ralph Hill.
Pallbearers are Mr. Charles Lee, Dr. Dale Evans, Mr. Elder Glenn, Mr. James Ingram, Mr. Rex Jackson, Mr. Glenn Clark, Mr. Don Hagan and Mr. Jerry Wilhelm. Honorary pallbearers are Mr. Sonny Huggins, Mr. Grady McCalmon, Mr. Brian Cannon, Mr. Bill Lemley, Mr. Jerry Campbell, Mr. Tom Glenn, Mr. Grif Glenn, Mr. Arnold White, Mr. Bo Benton, Mr. Melvin Keith, Mr. Joel Huggins, Mr. Lester Morris, Mr. Stanley Ledbetter, Mr. Bob Jones, Mr. Joe Storey, Mr. Steve Ezell, Mr. Johnny Crawford, Dr. Richard Smith, Dr. Ted Scoggins, active and inactive deacons of LaFayette First Baptist Church, the Jerry Wilhelm Sunday School Class and the Trion-Summerville Rotary Club.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Chapel Fund, First Baptist Church of LaFayette, 201 N. Main St., LaFayette, GA 30728, or to the Parkinson’s Disease Research Fund, Emory Clinic Neurology, 1841 Clifton Road, Northeast, 3rd floor, Atlanta, GA 30329.
The family will receive friends Thursday, from 5-8 p.m. at Wallis-Wilbanks Funeral Home in LaFayette.