Chandler McKelvey

1929 - 2025

Chandler L. McKelvey, 110 South Henry Street, Madison, age 96, died at home on October 19, 2025. He is survived by sons Steven McKelvey (Barb Matz), Northfield, Minnesota, and Kenneth (Tara) McKelvey, Fitchburg, Wisconsin; granddaughters Amanda McKeaton, Brooke McKelvey, Katy Urben, Beth McKelvey, and Ryn McKelvey; and great-granddaughters Mira, Emmy, Addi, Billie, and Scottie. His wife of 66 years, Beverly, preceded him in death, as did his third son, Christopher of Green Bay, Wisconsin.

He led a gratifying life. He greatly admired his children and grandchildren, watching them grow and become accomplished adults. He loved Beverly dearly – their long time together was a blessing, with many rewards and adventures.

The world is without a doubt better as a result of his having been a part of it.

Throughout his life Chandler tried to help efforts to protect our environment, improve our health and increase our ability to understand our world. He dedicated his time and served on the boards of many organizations dedicated to those ends.

He was born in Champaign, Illinois on June 23, 1929 and grew up in Evanston, Illinois. He attended Wesleyan University in Middletown Connecticut and Northwestern University in Evanston, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics in 1951 from Northwestern. After graduation he moved to New York where he met, courted and married Beverly Sands. Except for two years spent in the US Army they lived, worked and played in New York from 1951 through 1957, when they moved to Minneapolis and began their family. They moved again in 1964 to Stevens Point, Wisconsin and finally to Madison in 1980.

Chandler began his career as an actuary – he was a fellow of the Society of Actuaries - and spent 30 years working for insurance companies – first Mutual of New York, then Minnesota Mutual and finally Sentry Insurance. At Sentry he served in many capacities in addition to actuarial, including leading marketing, sales and IT organizations, supervising operations of overseas subsidiaries and managing the operations of Sentry's securities organization.

He retired from Sentry in 1980 and spent 2 ½ years as Wisconsin's Secretary of Development in the administration of Governor Lee Dreyfus. His department was responsible for economic development in the state, inter-governmental relations, strategic planning for the state, tourism promotion and housing policy.

After this stint in government he took on leadership of Wisconsin for Research (WFR), a joint venture of the University of Wisconsin and many of the State's largest employers, charged with strengthening the research capabilities of the university and the business community and the creation of high quality jobs in Wisconsin. He served as president of WFR from 1982 to 1985. He then returned to the business world, serving as corporate finance and strategic planning consultant to a number of corporations for an additional 25 years.

Chandler spent considerable time serving on boards and commissions – actuarial, insurance industry, health, public, corporate and charitable. He was president of both the Minnesota and the Wisconsin Actuarial Clubs and chairman of professional conduct and discipline committees of the Society of Actuaries. He was a member of health, futurism, medical economics and HMO committees of the insurance industry, chairing several of them.

While serving in state government and afterward, he was a member of many public boards, including the Great Lakes Commission, the Upper Great Lakes Regional Commission, Wisconsin Housing Finance Authority, Council of Upper Great Lakes Governors, Wisconsin Employees Trust Fund Board, Council of Great Lakes Governors, Wisconsin Governor's Blue Ribbon Ethics Committee, Midwest Technology Development Institute and others. Of all of these he was proudest to have been a member of the Wisconsin Public Intervener's Citizen's Advisory Committee – charged with protecting the public's interest in environmental matters.

Chandler supported the arts. He served on the board of The American Players Theatre, the success of which he particularly treasured. He also served on the boards of Wisconsin Citizens for the Arts, several health organizations, including the University of Wisconsin's University Health Care, and several HMOs.

He and Beverly enjoyed active sports – tennis in particular – travel, the theater, friends and especially each other's company. He competed in swimming and track in high school and college, and later played tennis on every continent except South America and Antarctica, competed in bridge tournaments around the world, and was a member of a championship darts team in London.

Even considering his many professional accomplishments, perhaps his most significant was the impact he had on the lives of other people. Chan possessed a unique ability to connect with people at the deepest level, and he used this ability to help them lead happier and more fulfilled lives. If the test of a successful life could be measured by the number of people who truly loved and admired you, Chan would get an A+.

As Chan's health declined, his desire was to stay in his home for as long as possible. This goal was accomplished only with the loving in-home assistance provided by caregivers Kristin Fox, her daughter Lola, and Angie Jones. Kristin was with Chan the longest, during which time they became very close. She cared for him like a father, and he loved her like a daughter. There aren't enough words to describe how grateful the family is to Kristin, Lola, and Angie for the comfort they brought to Chan over his declining years.

As an involved citizen, businessman, and public servant, Chandler was particularly dismayed over the last decade to witness the disharmony and coarsening of the public discourse in our state and country. Creeping authoritarianism and widespread attempts to weaken our democratic institutions were very disheartening to him, as was watching the retreat from ethical politics, liberal reforms and responsible attention to the health of our world.

A celebration of life will be held in the Capitol Lakes Grand Ballroom, 333 West Main St, in Madison at 2:00 p.m. on December 5. Memorials may be made to the Staff Support Fund at the Capitol Lakes Foundation (https://www.yourclfoundation.org/).