Azalea “Zae” Chandler (Johnson), 102, passed away Thursday, January 26, 2017 in Bellevue, WA. In hospice care for the last few weeks, Azalea died peacefully in her sleep with family at her side. Azalea was born and raised on her father’s homestead farm outside of Nez Perce, ID the youngest of 4 children to Wiley Turner and Florence Elizabeth (Adams) Johnson . Azalea graduated from Nez Perce High School in 1932 serving as her senior class president, playing center for the girls’ basketball team and running the hurdles in track. Azalea attended one year of college at the U of Idaho and started beauty school in Spokane before starting work for Dr. Austin Taylor, MD as a pediatric assistant in the mid 1930’s in the Paulsen Bldg downtown.
After meeting at a local dance in Spokane in 1938 and dating for a year, Azalea married Atlee B. Chandler on March 25, 1939 starting their life together in the family home on east 4th ave. in Opportunity, WA. Atlee and Azalea had 3 children (Alan, Lynn, and David). The family was very active in the Spokane Valley Baptist Church with Azalea volunteering for years as the wedding event coordinator.
After starting her family, she was a homemaker carrying on her mother’s exceptional cooking and baking talents and perfecting her home canning and food preserving skills with the abundant produce from her garden. She worked at University Manor Convalescent Center in the Valley as a receptionist for several years in the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s. After Atlee’s retirement from Early Dawn Dairy in 1972, they became snowbirds traveling to Tucson, AZ and joining a RV/travel trailer retirement park where they set up a happy and cherished winter home. They traveled extensively to Alaska and throughout the Western US in their camper and 5th wheel. After Atlee’s death, Azalea continued wintering in AZ and the SW enjoying her social life with close friends in the park. Azalea’s homemade pies (especially her fresh lemon meringue pies) and Parker House dinner rolls were honored and revered by her family and her friends at the retirement park.
In 1993, she married Bob Schmer of Beaverton, OR who she met at the retirement park. They made their summer home in Beaverton until his death in 2011. She made her last solo trip to spend the winter in Tucson at the age of 98. In late 2012, she relocated to Wheatland Village assisted living center in Walla Walla to be close to her son, Dave and his family. She moved to Bellevue in early 2016 to live with her daughter-in-law, Toni where she resided until her death.
Azalea was preceded in death by her parents Wiley (d. 1938) and Florence (d. 1953), her brothers Milton, Elwood, and sister Margaret, her husband’s Atlee (d. 1985) and Robert (d. 2011), son’s Alan (d. 2011) and Lynn (d. 2010).
She is survived by her youngest son Dave (Ranaee “Ernie”) of Walla Walla, WA, 6 grandchildren – Matt Chandler currently in Sweden; Josh (Nicole) Chandler of Vancouver, WA; Chris (Nina) Chandler of Lynnwood, WA; Heather (John) Nelson of Walla Walla, WA; Amy (Christopher) Burke of Seattle, WA; and Valerie (Brad) Emery of Olathe, KS; and 8 great grandchildren (Sidney, Jacob, Kadence, Naomi, Halle, Franke, Wyatt and Avynn).
Azalea had a long and eventful life that most can only dream of. She developed that unique personality, a keen wry sense of humor, and had a heart of gold that attracted and made her innumerably close and cherished friendships throughout her life. She maintained an acutely sharp memory of her life and family history and especially that of the Nez Perce, ID and Camas Prairie areas. The family has so much thanks, love and appreciation for her daughter-in-law, Toni Chandler, in Bellevue, WA who was grandma’s dedicated caretaker the last 11 months of her life giving her endless love and attentiveness while enduring so many sleepless nights. Huge kudos to Evergreen Hospice Care of Kirkland, WA for their amazing resources, individual responsiveness and professionalism, and dignified caregiving for Azalea as well as to Family Resource Home Care of Seattle/Bellevue, WA for their daily help and assistance to Azalea. Most especially Maria Bowman, CNA with Family Resource Home Care is recognized as Azalea so dearly loved for her gentle touch, understanding, and deep loving care.
The family will gather this summer for private services to place her ashes at the Nez Perce City Cemetery next to her mother and father’s gravesites and on the Selway River in North Central Idaho to be with Atlee and her son’s ashes. For those wishing to make contributions in memory and honor of Azalea Chandler, the family suggests the Washington Arthritis Foundation or Evergreen Hospice of Kirkland, WA.
Published in Spokesman-Review from Feb. 1 to Feb. 7, 2017
Living Son: David Wiley Chandler born 1952
After meeting at a local dance in Spokane in 1938 and dating for a year, Azalea married Atlee B. Chandler on March 25, 1939 starting their life together in the family home on east 4th ave. in Opportunity, WA. Atlee and Azalea had 3 children (Alan, Lynn, and David). The family was very active in the Spokane Valley Baptist Church with Azalea volunteering for years as the wedding event coordinator.
After starting her family, she was a homemaker carrying on her mother’s exceptional cooking and baking talents and perfecting her home canning and food preserving skills with the abundant produce from her garden. She worked at University Manor Convalescent Center in the Valley as a receptionist for several years in the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s. After Atlee’s retirement from Early Dawn Dairy in 1972, they became snowbirds traveling to Tucson, AZ and joining a RV/travel trailer retirement park where they set up a happy and cherished winter home. They traveled extensively to Alaska and throughout the Western US in their camper and 5th wheel. After Atlee’s death, Azalea continued wintering in AZ and the SW enjoying her social life with close friends in the park. Azalea’s homemade pies (especially her fresh lemon meringue pies) and Parker House dinner rolls were honored and revered by her family and her friends at the retirement park.
In 1993, she married Bob Schmer of Beaverton, OR who she met at the retirement park. They made their summer home in Beaverton until his death in 2011. She made her last solo trip to spend the winter in Tucson at the age of 98. In late 2012, she relocated to Wheatland Village assisted living center in Walla Walla to be close to her son, Dave and his family. She moved to Bellevue in early 2016 to live with her daughter-in-law, Toni where she resided until her death.
Azalea was preceded in death by her parents Wiley (d. 1938) and Florence (d. 1953), her brothers Milton, Elwood, and sister Margaret, her husband’s Atlee (d. 1985) and Robert (d. 2011), son’s Alan (d. 2011) and Lynn (d. 2010).
She is survived by her youngest son Dave (Ranaee “Ernie”) of Walla Walla, WA, 6 grandchildren – Matt Chandler currently in Sweden; Josh (Nicole) Chandler of Vancouver, WA; Chris (Nina) Chandler of Lynnwood, WA; Heather (John) Nelson of Walla Walla, WA; Amy (Christopher) Burke of Seattle, WA; and Valerie (Brad) Emery of Olathe, KS; and 8 great grandchildren (Sidney, Jacob, Kadence, Naomi, Halle, Franke, Wyatt and Avynn).
Azalea had a long and eventful life that most can only dream of. She developed that unique personality, a keen wry sense of humor, and had a heart of gold that attracted and made her innumerably close and cherished friendships throughout her life. She maintained an acutely sharp memory of her life and family history and especially that of the Nez Perce, ID and Camas Prairie areas. The family has so much thanks, love and appreciation for her daughter-in-law, Toni Chandler, in Bellevue, WA who was grandma’s dedicated caretaker the last 11 months of her life giving her endless love and attentiveness while enduring so many sleepless nights. Huge kudos to Evergreen Hospice Care of Kirkland, WA for their amazing resources, individual responsiveness and professionalism, and dignified caregiving for Azalea as well as to Family Resource Home Care of Seattle/Bellevue, WA for their daily help and assistance to Azalea. Most especially Maria Bowman, CNA with Family Resource Home Care is recognized as Azalea so dearly loved for her gentle touch, understanding, and deep loving care.
The family will gather this summer for private services to place her ashes at the Nez Perce City Cemetery next to her mother and father’s gravesites and on the Selway River in North Central Idaho to be with Atlee and her son’s ashes. For those wishing to make contributions in memory and honor of Azalea Chandler, the family suggests the Washington Arthritis Foundation or Evergreen Hospice of Kirkland, WA.
Published in Spokesman-Review from Feb. 1 to Feb. 7, 2017
Living Son: David Wiley Chandler born 1952
Azalea “Zae” Chandler (Johnson), 102, passed away Thursday, January 26, 2017 in Bellevue, WA. In hospice care for the last few weeks, Azalea died peacefully in her sleep with family at her side. Azalea was born and raised on her father’s homestead farm outside of Nez Perce, ID the youngest of 4 children to Wiley Turner and Florence Elizabeth (Adams) Johnson . Azalea graduated from Nez Perce High School in 1932 serving as her senior class president, playing center for the girls’ basketball team and running the hurdles in track. Azalea attended one year of college at the U of Idaho and started beauty school in Spokane before starting work for Dr. Austin Taylor, MD as a pediatric assistant in the mid 1930’s in the Paulsen Bldg downtown.
After meeting at a local dance in Spokane in 1938 and dating for a year, Azalea married Atlee B. Chandler on March 25, 1939 starting their life together in the family home on east 4th ave. in Opportunity, WA. Atlee and Azalea had 3 children (Alan, Lynn, and David). The family was very active in the Spokane Valley Baptist Church with Azalea volunteering for years as the wedding event coordinator.
After starting her family, she was a homemaker carrying on her mother’s exceptional cooking and baking talents and perfecting her home canning and food preserving skills with the abundant produce from her garden. She worked at University Manor Convalescent Center in the Valley as a receptionist for several years in the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s. After Atlee’s retirement from Early Dawn Dairy in 1972, they became snowbirds traveling to Tucson, AZ and joining a RV/travel trailer retirement park where they set up a happy and cherished winter home. They traveled extensively to Alaska and throughout the Western US in their camper and 5th wheel. After Atlee’s death, Azalea continued wintering in AZ and the SW enjoying her social life with close friends in the park. Azalea’s homemade pies (especially her fresh lemon meringue pies) and Parker House dinner rolls were honored and revered by her family and her friends at the retirement park.
In 1993, she married Bob Schmer of Beaverton, OR who she met at the retirement park. They made their summer home in Beaverton until his death in 2011. She made her last solo trip to spend the winter in Tucson at the age of 98. In late 2012, she relocated to Wheatland Village assisted living center in Walla Walla to be close to her son, Dave and his family. She moved to Bellevue in early 2016 to live with her daughter-in-law, Toni where she resided until her death.
Azalea was preceded in death by her parents Wiley (d. 1938) and Florence (d. 1953), her brothers Milton, Elwood, and sister Margaret, her husband’s Atlee (d. 1985) and Robert (d. 2011), son’s Alan (d. 2011) and Lynn (d. 2010).
She is survived by her youngest son Dave (Ranaee “Ernie”) of Walla Walla, WA, 6 grandchildren – Matt Chandler currently in Sweden; Josh (Nicole) Chandler of Vancouver, WA; Chris (Nina) Chandler of Lynnwood, WA; Heather (John) Nelson of Walla Walla, WA; Amy (Christopher) Burke of Seattle, WA; and Valerie (Brad) Emery of Olathe, KS; and 8 great grandchildren (Sidney, Jacob, Kadence, Naomi, Halle, Franke, Wyatt and Avynn).
Azalea had a long and eventful life that most can only dream of. She developed that unique personality, a keen wry sense of humor, and had a heart of gold that attracted and made her innumerably close and cherished friendships throughout her life. She maintained an acutely sharp memory of her life and family history and especially that of the Nez Perce, ID and Camas Prairie areas. The family has so much thanks, love and appreciation for her daughter-in-law, Toni Chandler, in Bellevue, WA who was grandma’s dedicated caretaker the last 11 months of her life giving her endless love and attentiveness while enduring so many sleepless nights. Huge kudos to Evergreen Hospice Care of Kirkland, WA for their amazing resources, individual responsiveness and professionalism, and dignified caregiving for Azalea as well as to Family Resource Home Care of Seattle/Bellevue, WA for their daily help and assistance to Azalea. Most especially Maria Bowman, CNA with Family Resource Home Care is recognized as Azalea so dearly loved for her gentle touch, understanding, and deep loving care.
The family will gather this summer for private services to place her ashes at the Nez Perce City Cemetery next to her mother and father’s gravesites and on the Selway River in North Central Idaho to be with Atlee and her son’s ashes. For those wishing to make contributions in memory and honor of Azalea Chandler, the family suggests the Washington Arthritis Foundation or Evergreen Hospice of Kirkland, WA.
Published in Spokesman-Review from Feb. 1 to Feb. 7, 2017
Living Son: David Wiley Chandler born 1952
After meeting at a local dance in Spokane in 1938 and dating for a year, Azalea married Atlee B. Chandler on March 25, 1939 starting their life together in the family home on east 4th ave. in Opportunity, WA. Atlee and Azalea had 3 children (Alan, Lynn, and David). The family was very active in the Spokane Valley Baptist Church with Azalea volunteering for years as the wedding event coordinator.
After starting her family, she was a homemaker carrying on her mother’s exceptional cooking and baking talents and perfecting her home canning and food preserving skills with the abundant produce from her garden. She worked at University Manor Convalescent Center in the Valley as a receptionist for several years in the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s. After Atlee’s retirement from Early Dawn Dairy in 1972, they became snowbirds traveling to Tucson, AZ and joining a RV/travel trailer retirement park where they set up a happy and cherished winter home. They traveled extensively to Alaska and throughout the Western US in their camper and 5th wheel. After Atlee’s death, Azalea continued wintering in AZ and the SW enjoying her social life with close friends in the park. Azalea’s homemade pies (especially her fresh lemon meringue pies) and Parker House dinner rolls were honored and revered by her family and her friends at the retirement park.
In 1993, she married Bob Schmer of Beaverton, OR who she met at the retirement park. They made their summer home in Beaverton until his death in 2011. She made her last solo trip to spend the winter in Tucson at the age of 98. In late 2012, she relocated to Wheatland Village assisted living center in Walla Walla to be close to her son, Dave and his family. She moved to Bellevue in early 2016 to live with her daughter-in-law, Toni where she resided until her death.
Azalea was preceded in death by her parents Wiley (d. 1938) and Florence (d. 1953), her brothers Milton, Elwood, and sister Margaret, her husband’s Atlee (d. 1985) and Robert (d. 2011), son’s Alan (d. 2011) and Lynn (d. 2010).
She is survived by her youngest son Dave (Ranaee “Ernie”) of Walla Walla, WA, 6 grandchildren – Matt Chandler currently in Sweden; Josh (Nicole) Chandler of Vancouver, WA; Chris (Nina) Chandler of Lynnwood, WA; Heather (John) Nelson of Walla Walla, WA; Amy (Christopher) Burke of Seattle, WA; and Valerie (Brad) Emery of Olathe, KS; and 8 great grandchildren (Sidney, Jacob, Kadence, Naomi, Halle, Franke, Wyatt and Avynn).
Azalea had a long and eventful life that most can only dream of. She developed that unique personality, a keen wry sense of humor, and had a heart of gold that attracted and made her innumerably close and cherished friendships throughout her life. She maintained an acutely sharp memory of her life and family history and especially that of the Nez Perce, ID and Camas Prairie areas. The family has so much thanks, love and appreciation for her daughter-in-law, Toni Chandler, in Bellevue, WA who was grandma’s dedicated caretaker the last 11 months of her life giving her endless love and attentiveness while enduring so many sleepless nights. Huge kudos to Evergreen Hospice Care of Kirkland, WA for their amazing resources, individual responsiveness and professionalism, and dignified caregiving for Azalea as well as to Family Resource Home Care of Seattle/Bellevue, WA for their daily help and assistance to Azalea. Most especially Maria Bowman, CNA with Family Resource Home Care is recognized as Azalea so dearly loved for her gentle touch, understanding, and deep loving care.
The family will gather this summer for private services to place her ashes at the Nez Perce City Cemetery next to her mother and father’s gravesites and on the Selway River in North Central Idaho to be with Atlee and her son’s ashes. For those wishing to make contributions in memory and honor of Azalea Chandler, the family suggests the Washington Arthritis Foundation or Evergreen Hospice of Kirkland, WA.
Published in Spokesman-Review from Feb. 1 to Feb. 7, 2017
Living Son: David Wiley Chandler born 1952
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