Obituary of Thaddeus Jude Chandler

The link to Ted's service is https://bimeo.com470768251 and link to T.Chandler service Thaddeus Jude Chandler's life story Tad was born on September 5, 1956 into a boisterous, loving, large family. We were held together by our Dad’s stern discipline, Mom’s never-ending labors of love, mass on Sunday, catechism on Saturday, and hordes of neighborhood kids to play with. We sang all the verses to the Marine Corps hymn every day and listened to Rigoletto every night at dinner where we kids were silent, our backs were straight, and we ate everything on our plates. We played in the dirt pile out back and nothing was as exciting as digging down real deep and finding gold dirt or fossilized hotwheels. Will anyone ever forget when Tad got the javelin in the forehead? We cycled one after the other through Howe School in Schenectady. Poor Tad never got to be him, he started out every year as somebody’s brother – but he never had it as bad as Theresa who followed the six before her. The Wests next door had 9 kids, but there were the Branches, the Messmores, the Rehbeins, and many more! We had 7 siblings eventually, cousins and grandparents and aunts and uncles on both sides of the family that we needed pencil and paper to be able to list. There were always extra people who became attached to the entire family and could at any given time be there for a meal or a week or a month. Cam Hauke and Ed Bennett were two of Tad’s friends who were just part of the family. Mom counseled and fed any and all. Daddy taught carpentry to Tad and Mike as well as Alan. The tiny 1 bathroom house got even smaller when Grandma Chandler moved in and older siblings moved in and out with the changing times and fortunes. There was Schroon Lake with the Garrities and Jones Beach with the Keyses. Twenty or more of us at a time spent such joyful nights singing for hours when Sherry, Jan, Alan, Betsy or Sharon were there with their guitars. Tad’s special instrument was the “bango bongos” which he played with or without the actual drums. We were always singing – at home and at one of our most cherished family places – Hidden Lake Girl Scout Camp. The times we all lived for were the 3 or 4 weekends every year where we went to “family camp” at HLC… the swimming, the fishing, the hiking, the campfires, the singing… Some of our most beautiful family pictures are from later years with Ann and the boys at camp. Ryan or Brannon were invariably looking cute and proud holding up a stringer of fish they caught with Ann, Tad, or Earl. We all became adults who love the natural world. Tad and Ann created a beautiful homestead in Unadilla where Tad built Ann’s amazing garden, paths and a camp up on the mountain, bridges over the streams, the cooking pit of amazement, and camping areas like Fern Gully. The house never got really finished, but that is the Chandler way… Weekend parties sometimes lasted into Tuesday, and more than one person did not get “hospital hurt” indulging in “dangerous sports without helmets”. He was always happiest when Brannon and Ryan were there – and we just heard some pretty funny stories of the “child labor” involved in chopping cords and cords of wood to feed the insatiable wood furnace. In his last years there were things that brought him joy in spite of his ongoing sorrow at Ed, Cam, and Ann’s deaths. His job at Primo Water was one where he drove every week north almost to Canada, west to Unadilla and east to Massachusetts. He was the guy who everyone called, ‘cause he knew all the answers. He and Mike had a water business together back in the day and Tad knew everything about water treatment (though so did Mike and it could get interesting when they knew different things). The best part of his Primo job, though, was traveling through the north country that he loved – and he would often talk about the beautiful and interesting things he saw. He was so happy and proud when Ryan and Jordan got married, and overjoyed when they had Jack. He wasn’t good at talking about feelings, but showed his connections throughout his life by the things he built. Especially after he got sick, working on Jack’s trains was for him a living meditation on his love for Jack, Brannon, and Ryan. It says a lot about Tad and his feelings that Jack and Ryan will inherit the trains, and Brannon will inherit all the camping and fishing gear. Tad loved a party – from the traditional Thanksgiving Day outside party at the Underwoods when we were kids and teens, the massive shindigs at the Davis house, the wild nights with Lez Zepellin, to the stock car races with Kim and Billy All were infrequent but important. Many, many holidays were spent at the Hamlin farm enjoying family and friends. Writing about Thaddeus’ life involves several names. Of course the full “Thaddeus Jude” when in trouble with Mom or thinking about the spiritual importance of his name and the events that led to it, Tad when he was just being a kid, and Ted when he needed a more grown up name. We speak of “The Chandler” as an entity with many faces, powerful history, steadfast loyalty, and complex rules. But the most fun names of all came as we sat around a campfire listening to The Tall Tales of Tad. No matter what the personal adventure, news story, or anecdote, his gregarious personality and humor would eventually wind us all up with tales that just kept on getting more fantastical as the years went by. Of course there were tough times too, but we’ll tell those tales around another campfire… Thaddeus Jude (Ted) Chandler passed away on Monday October 19, 2020 from complications of cancer. He is pre-deceased by his adored second wife Ann Albertson and his parents Earl Chandler Jr. and Kathleen (McElroy) Chandler. He is survived by his sons Brannon and Ryan (Jordan Yellen) and their mother Cynde Chandler. Ted also leaves behind his beloved grandson Jack Arno Chandler, son of Ryan and Jordan. He is also survived by his siblings, Kate Hamlin (Alan), Alison Chandler (Fred Johnson), Emily Witbeck (Bill), Arlene Moran (Mac McBride), Michael Chandler, and Theresa Fallon (Peter). Ted is also survived by Uncle Edward McElroy. Among the special friends of the family and honorary brothers and sisters are Christine Davis (Bob), Martha Dillon, Anne West, Ted Underwood, Leslie Hauke and Kim Kalinsack. Ted is survived by many wonderful nieces and nephews that provide love and fun at giant family parties; Molly Hamlin and her children Jaydon and Lexie, Leah Jackson (Barry), Keeley Johnson (Ed), Paige Witbeck, Emma Witbeck, Chandler Moran (Scott), Malcolm Moran, Joshua and Amber Chandler and their mother Debbie, Alexandra Fallon, and Andrew Fallon. There are also many wonderful cousins that are special in our family legacy. Calling hours will be held at Jones Funeral Home, 1503 Union St. Schenectady, NY 12309 on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 from 5 PM-7 PM. Funeral service will be held on Thursday at the funeral home at 10 AM, due to COVID, gathering is limited to 40 people, the service will be zoomed with sign in info to be posted on www.jonesfh.net Internment will be at Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery following the service. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Ted's memory to The Community Hospice Foundation, 310 S.Manning Blvd, Albany, NY 12208. Masks, social distancing and contact tracing will be observed.