Florian Chandler, Jr.

Florian Cox "Chan" Chandler, Jr., 92, of Carrollton, Kentucky, passed away peacefully on September 9, 2017, in Centerville, Ohio, near the home of his daughter. He was born in Carrollton on June 22, 1925, to Lillian Corrine Steele Chandler and Florian Cox Chandler, Sr. He graduated from Carrollton High School in 1943. After working in Driscoll Drug Store in downtown Carrollton, he served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific-Asiatic Theatre on Guam near the end of World War II. He was married to Mary Frances Craig for 60 years. He was retired from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Department of Highways in Northern Kentucky.  He had also been appointed as a Kentucky Colonel.

He is survived by his daughter, Linda Chandler Banks (Bill) of Centerville, Ohio; his grandson, William Chandler Banks of Chicago, Illinois; his sister Charlotte “Charlie” Ann Pusey (Alfred) of Albany, Georgia; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Clarence “Duper” and Mary Ann Craig of Carrollton; four generations of nieces and nephews, his devoted caregivers of 17 years, Wanda Jean Licklider (John) and Jeanne Licklider-Brindley, and a loving caregiver team of Amy Baglan, Pam Brightwell, Sue Chisholm, Samantha Crawford, Jean Hensley, Teresa Hunt, Jeraldine Scruggs, and Krista Zimmerman.

He was preceded in death by his parents “Easy” and “Lillie” Chandler; his wife Mary Frances Craig Chandler; his three brothers, Billy Steele Chandler, Thomas Ryan Chandler, and Ronald Ray Chandler; his close cousin, Margaret “Margie” Bonta; and nieces Martha Chandler Creed and Denise Chandler Johnston.

He was a member of the former Carrollton Presbyterian Church.

He was known in Carrollton for his hand-lettered signs that he painted in his Chandler Sign Shop and for Stan Jasper’s and later Paul Cutshaw’s sign companies. He supervised the production and placement of highway signs for 11 counties in his beloved Kentucky, including the large green directional signs you see along the interstate yet today. In retirement, he continued his sign painting and calligraphy. An avid walker, he could often be found on his daily walks in General Butler State Park.