Verdon A. Chandler

Verdon Ardell Chandler was born in Orleans, Nebraska on March 20, 1916, the first son of Ardell W. and Mayme M. (Durham) Chandler, a farm couple from the nearby hamlet of Carter, Nebraska. He was named after his paternal grandmother Julia (Verdon) Chandler, an Irish immigrant with French ancestry. His first social recognition in life came when he was named Harlan County, Nebraska's Most Beautiful Baby of 1916. Existing photos show that he was, indeed, a handsome boy.
In 1923, his father was mortally injured when a freight train collided with his car near the family farm. In 1926, Verdon and his five siblings entered the Christian Children's Home, an orphanage in Holdrege, Nebraska, where they lived for nearly six years. Verdon always credited "The Home" with providing stability in their lives, and returned for reunions of the "Home Kids" throughout his life. He always felt it was a place of comfort and inspiration.
When Verdon was nearly sixteen, he and his siblings rejoined their mother and stepfather in Longmont, Colorado. In 1935, at the age of 19, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, working in Durango, Colorado, before working for the Remington Arms Company in Denver. Back in Longmont, he noticed a young woman roller skating on Main Street and struck up a conversation. He and Helen E. Patterson were married on November 6, 1938. In 2012, they celebrated their 74th wedding anniversary.
Verdon worked for Weicker Transfer and Storage for several years before the outbreak of World War II. He served in the United States Army in the Pacific, primarily as a sergeant in the Fifth Replacement Depot in Manila, Philippines.
Following the war, he, Helen and their son David lived in Fort Logan, Colorado, where their son Jon was born. They moved to Thornton, Colorado in May 1954, and Verdon, known to everyone as "Vern" became a drywall finisher until his retirement, working primarily for Schreiber Decorating Company.
A wonderful baseball player, the game remained his favorite sport throughout his life. He was an exceptional fisherman, and fished with family and friends all over the West.
Vern was a devoted father, never missing one of his sons' games or activities as they grew up. He thrived on being an involved grandfather to Matt, Ben and Tyler Chandler, and loved recounting stories about each of them
He is survived by his wife, Helen; by his son David and his family - wife Eleanor; son Matt Chandler (wife Kellie, son Tyler and daughter Madeline), son Matt Esquibel (wife Tonja and daughters Ashley ((Seth)) and Jackie) and daughter Toni Starner (husband Wayne and daughter Morgan); by his son Jon and his family - wife Pat, son Ben Chandler (wife Savannah), and son Tyler Chandler (wife Amanda and son Braden); by multiple nieces and nephews and their families, and by the uncountable people he touched, perhaps for only a moment.