A life well lived

Community mourns loss of iconic family member

GCM Staff Report
Posted 2/9/18

SILVERHILL, Alabama — A longtime Silverhill resident is being remembered as a pillar of the community, a devoted active member of his church, business man and family member.

Sidney Leslie …

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A life well lived

Community mourns loss of iconic family member

Posted

SILVERHILL, Alabama — A longtime Silverhill resident is being remembered as a pillar of the community, a devoted active member of his church, business man and family member.

Sidney Leslie Chandler, whose family owned the iconic People’s Supply in Silverhill, died Friday, Feb. 2. He was 91.

“He will most certainly be missed,” said Silverhill Mayor Tim Wilson.

Chandler was born May 5, 1926 to Leslie and Elsie Chandler in Loxley, moved to Silverhill when he was 2, and lived there the remainder of his life.

He spent a fair amount of what many of know as Peoples Supply as this was his father’s store, with the residence being upstairs (now United Bank).

“He was more than a great customer,” said Silverhill United Bank Branch Manager David Kitchens. “He was a member of our family.”

Chandler’s passing is a double loss for the bank, Kitchens said. Chandler’s son, Bryan, is a loan officer with the bank and occupies an office upstairs where the Chandler family used to live.

“It’s especially felt with the fact that Bryan works here and their family used to own a business here in this building,” Kitchens said. “Our hearts go out to the entire Chandler family during this time.”

Chandler attended Silverhill Elementary School, graduated from Robertsdale High School and the University of Alabama. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

He was an employee of the Baldwin County Savings & Loan for 35 years and at his retirement was president and chairman of the Board.

Chandler was a previous member of the Robertsdale Rotary Club and Silverhill Covenant Church. His hobbies included fishing, hunting, gardening and golf.

“He was a devoted member of this church and his family helped found the church,” said Silverhill Covenant Church Pastor Jesse B. Adams. “It is a tremendous loss for our church and our community.”

Chandler’s mother, Elsie Chandler, was also known as the oldest librarian in the state of Alabama at one time, serving as the director of the Oscar Johnson Memorial Library in Silverhill until she was 99.

Longtime Silverhill resident Shirley Edhegard Stephens, who currently serves as the library’s director, echoed Adams’ sentiment as a longtime member of the Covenant Church.

“My parents grew up with them (Chandler and his wife Berniece) and my siblings and I grew up with their children, so we’ve known each other a long time,” Stephens said. “He was just a fantastic person. They were there every Sunday and he was a devoted leader in our church and community.”

Chandler is preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Plu Tribble; wife of 42 years, Berniece Wiggins Chandler and daughter, Cynthia Lyndall. Survivors include his wife of 20 years, Dorothy White Chandler; daughters, Marilyn (Harry) Brown of Murphy, North Carolina, Terri Cordova of Daphne; son, Bryan (Ree) Chandler of Silverhill; stepsons, Roy White of Fairhope, Jeff (Deena) White of Fairhope, and Steve (Michelle) White of Daphne; stepdaughters, Gwen (Nick) Peturis of Loxley, Penny (Scott) Callaway of Loxley; nine grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and many friends.

Funeral services were held Monday, Feb. 5 at the Silverhill Covenant Church. Burial followedat Silverhill Cemetery. Visitation was held Sunday at Mack Funeral Home.

The family requests memorials be made to Silverhill Covenant Church or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Arrangements are by Mack Funeral Home, Robertsdale.