1936 – 2015

STRONG — Richard “Dick” Clyde Chandler, 79, passed away at home on Monday, June 8, with his family by his side. He was the husband of Lorraine, son of Clyde and Alice Chandler and brother of Mary (Chandler) Taylor.

Dick was born on the family farm on the Chandler Road in Strong on May 25, 1936. He was a graduate of Strong High School, Class of 1954 and graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology with a degree in aircraft maintenance engineering in 1956. After graduation, Dick moved to Hartford, Conn., and worked at Pratt & Whitney in the experimental department for aircraft engineering for a short time. He returned to Strong in 1956 to help on the family farm after his father injured his hand in an industrial accident. He also began working at Starbird Lumber Co. in Strong that year as a truck driver and mechanic.

In 1972, he co-founded C.A.&T. Lumber Co. on Chandler Road after purchasing land from his parents’ family farm. The business employed 75 people at its peak and distributed wholesale lumber to destinations as far as Ohio, the Carolinas and Canada. He operated “CAT” Lumber until 1994, at which time he sold the mill and retail operation.

Dick was not satisfied with being “retired,” so he built an office and garage, complete with grease pit, across the road from the mill on the family homestead, which allowed him to continue working until ill health prevented him from keeping his daily work routine last year.

Dick served as a deputy sheriff of Franklin County — his active and reserve years of service totaled over 55 years. He was also a skilled welder, and he thawed many a frozen pipe during the cold winter months.

He enjoyed antique cars, auto racing, fishing, snowmobiling, hunting and slots.

Dick was an avid hunter from the time he was a young man. He had hunting dogs and hunted deer, bear, raccoons and bobcats, but he especially loved to hunt moose with his buddies from Jackman. It was an annual event, and many people with permits asked Dick to be their alternate. It was often his 280 Remington that brought down the trophy.

Dick loved to snowmobile, and for a period of time, he was a snowmobile dealer for Chaparral. He often went on snowmobile trips to northern Maine and Canada and would always take along friends or C.A.&T. Lumber employees.

He also loved to play the slots. He and his wife, Lorraine, traveled to casinos from Las Vegas to Canada and many places in between, always testing his luck against the odds. The casinos hated to see him coming, for he often beat the house.

Dick married Jean Toothaker in 1956 and they had two children, Debbie and Craig. In 1969, he married the former Lorraine Lena Stanchfield and they had two daughters, Pamela and Renee. Dick and Lorraine would have celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary in August.

Dick is survived by his wife, Lorraine of Strong; his stepdaughters, B-Jane Griebel and husband, Bill, of South China, and Sue Jalbert and companion, Graham, of Raymond; his daughters, Debbie and fiancé, Dan, of Rome, and Renee and husband, Steven, of Strong; his son, Craig and his partner, Christopher, of Philadelphia; his sister, Mary Taylor and husband, Sonny, of Norridgewock; several nieces and a nephew; and several stepgrandchildren.

He was predeceased by his parents; and a daughter, Pamela Marie.