Deacon Joseph B. Chandler Jr., 84, died Aug. 31 in Chantilly, Va.
Ordained Feb. 13, 1999, by Bishop James Schad, Deacon Chandler was assigned to Saint Charles Borromeo Parish in Sicklerville, where he served until his retirement from active ministry in 2014.
The oldest of eight children, he attended Saint Francis de Sales Grammar School and West Catholic High School for Boys in Philadelphia.
For 42 years, he worked at the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News, and rose from the position of file clerk for Triangle Publications to the level of vice president of circulation transportation. He was especially proud of his role in helping to plan the construction of the newspaper production and distribution plant in Conshohocken, Pa.
In 1988, he was accepted into the permanent diaconate program for the Diocese of Camden, and was ordained eleven years later. He was assigned to his home parish of Saint Charles Borromeo.
After working as an account executive for the United Way of Philadelphia, and campaign director for the United Way of Gloucester County, he became business manager at his parish.
In 2014, Deacon Chandler retired and moved to Chantilly. Although retired, he received permission from the Bishop of the Diocese of Arlington there to assist as a deacon at Saint John Neumann Parish in Reston, where he was active in many ministries.
When now-Deacon Larry Farmer was hired in 2007 by Saint Charles Borromeo Parish to help with its parish merger, and later, to be the parish’s pastoral associate for evangelization, he was introduced to Deacon Chandler, and the two became good friends.
The faithful of Saint Charles Borromeo “always got the best of Joe Chandler,” Deacon Farmer said. “He was committed to his family and the parish, and he never tired of his commitment to serve the Lord and His people.”
Deacon Farmer noted that his friend inspired him to join the diaconate in 2011, in that Deacon Chandler was a man “constantly continuing to find Jesus and His grace. I will miss his optimism, and his example of always being open to the call of Christ.”
In addition to his parents, Joseph B. Sr. and Mary Bradley, Deacon Chandler was predeceased by his wife, Dolores; son, Justin; granddaughter Maureen Duffy; grandson, Corey; and sisters Maryann Colligan (John), Elizabeth, and Teresa Petty (David), and brother John (Dolly).
He is survived by his daughter Julianne Duffy (Joe), son Joseph Chandler III, and daughter Jennifer Chandler; grandchildren Carolyn Fortson (Sam, and their children Georgia, Maisie and Luke), Regina Dombrowski (Ben, and their children Claire and Jack), Joseph Duffy, John Duffy, Joseph Chandler IV, Jenna Chandler, Justin Chandler, and Jared Chandler; siblings James Chandler (Denie), Kathleen Fitzsimmons (James), and Loretta Walsh (Jack); and many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, co-workers and parishioners.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Sept. 6 at Saint Charles Borromeo Church; interment was at Saint Joseph Cemetery, Chews Landing.
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