Julia Chandler

Julia Elizabeth Chandler passed from this life as she lived it, quietly and with dignity, on Saturday, May 13, 2006. She had been ill for some time, but her acerbic wit and sharp mind enchanted those around her until her last moments. She was born March 2, 1929, in Chillicothe, the eldest child of Gilbert Allard (Marty) and Osma Blanche Foster Chandler. She graduated from Chillicothe High School in 1947 and from Ohio University in 1951. She became a cub reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette in 1952. Like her father before her, she spent her career at the Chillicothe Gazette and was at times a reporter, news editor, society editor and opinion page editor. A newswoman to her bones, she continued a tradition set by Amelia Hydell as a woman journalist and a lady. She was mentored by Doris Beeler and knew the pulse of the community she covered until the end. She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, John and Joann Chandler, of Amherst, MA, nephews Charles Martin Chandler, also of Amherst, MA, and John Robert (Jack) Chandler and his wife Cori and their four daughters, of Singapore, and her beloved niece Michelle and her four children, of Amherst, MA. She is also survived by her best friend, her cat Obadiah. Animals were her passion and she generously supported many shelters and charities. She will be mourned by many friends. She will also be missed by the many journalists from coast to coast whom she mentored in her 40-year career. Her protégés routinely went on to prestigious careers and she taught many a young reporter how to conduct himself with honor and still get the scoop. A voracious reader, traveler, and stubborn non-conformist, she truly loved the newspaper business and believed newspapers had to inform, not just entertain. She could have gone anywhere but loved her hometown. Graveside funeral services will be held 2:00 pm Friday in Grandview Cemetery. Please join the family at the Chillicothe Country Club from 3-5 pm for a celebration of her life. Arrangements are under the direction of the Haller Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her name would be welcomed at the Ross County Humane Society or the Chillicothe Ross County Public Library.