Bobby Chandler

HARRISBURG - With his cowboy hat held high and his boots polished, Bobby Gene "Bob" Chandler, 76 years old, of Harrisburg, rode his horse off into the sunset one last time on Feb. 6, 2023, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. After a brief illness, he passed peacefully into heaven with his longtime love, Anita Anderson, by his side.

Bobby was born in Vernon, Ala., to Escar Dean and Gladys McCullough Chandler, both of Vernon. He was the fourth of five children who, although they lost their father to illness when Bobby was in high school, had a loving and devoted mother whom he often described as an angel.

Bobby graduated from Lamar County High School, class of 1966, before moving to Tupelo, Miss., to join his mother and brothers.

He later moved to Byhalia, Miss., where he was a member of the Victoria Volunteer Fire Department and emergency medical services team. It was in Byhalia that he married his first wife, Jackie. She passed away after 24 years of marriage. During this time, he pursued his love of horses by working with them at stables and rodeos.

He shared his love of horses with his nieces and other relatives by dispelling their fear and replacing it with a fascination for these magnificent creatures.

Later in life, he moved to Arkansas where he met and married his second wife, Beth. They were married for a number of years before she succumbed to a long-term illness.

In his retirement, he kept busy doing lawn and handyman work for his neighbors, attending local auctions, and was well-known for "cutting a rug" at the local dance halls. He enjoyed a life filled with music, eating seafood and driving his Ford Ranger all over town and down to Mississippi for surprise visits to his family.

During his illness, he was lovingly cared for by the staff of Woodbriar Nursing Home in Harrisburg, for whom his family will be eternally grateful for their kindness, compassion and devoted attention to his health and well-being.

The family would also like to thank the intensive care unit staff at St. Bernards Medical Center and the chaplain for their tenderness and thoughtfulness in easing his passing.

The family is also indebted to Bobby's longtime friend and spiritual mentor, Harry Farmer, also of Harrisburg, and offers special gratitude to Emerson Funeral Home of Jonesboro and Holland Funeral Home of Tupelo for their services and assistance.

There will be a memorial graveside service at 11 a.m. Saturday in Mount Pisgah Church Cemetery in Sulligent, Ala. Chandler Funeral Home in Vernon, Ala., will be directing.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, sister-in-law, Betty Chase Chandler, brother-in-law, Charles Allen, and his beloved nephew, Ashley Dean Chandler.

Bobby is survived by his brothers, Tommy Dean Chandler (Kay) of Tupelo and Roy Dean Chandler (Delilah) of Booneville, Miss., and his sisters, Jane Allen of Tupelo, and Betty Carroll (Herbert) of Plantersville, Miss.

Bobby will be greatly missed by his nieces and nephews, Murray Chase (Lori) of Cedar Key, Fla., Beth Rademaker (Willie) of Anchorage, Alaska, Kathy Young (Louis) of Hattiesburg, Miss., Janet Carroll of Plantersville, Miss., Nina Carroll of Dallas, Anthony Chandler (Kristen) of Pensacola, Fla., and Jonathan Chandler-Forsyth of Booneville.

His memory will be cherished always by a smattering of great-nieces and nephews, his devoted friends, Anita Anderson and Harry Farmer, and his feline companion that he simply called Mama Kitty.

His smile, charm, laughter and free spirit will be missed by all who knew him.

"You ride straight and true toward that horizon, Bobby Gene Chandler, and don't look back."