Robert Moye Chandler Jr.

1933 - 2022

Robert Moye Chandler, Jr. Rocky Mount - Robert Moye Chandler, Jr. died July 18, 2022. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Robert Moye Chandler and Thelma Carter Chandler, and his brother James Fillmore Chandler.

Mr. Chandler graduated from law school in 1965, was a practicing lawyer since 1968 and was a founding partner in the law firm of Early & Chandler, P.A. He was a partner with Walter J. Early until Mr. Early's death in 1999. He was a member of the North Carolina Bar Association and American Bar Association.

Mr. Chandler was born January 26, 1933 in Moultrie, Georgia and moved to Rocky Mount with his parents and brother in 1938. He graduated from Rocky Mount High School in 1951 where he was a member of the National Honor Society and Honor Graduate and Duke University in 1955 with an A.B. in Business Administration.

He served three years in the U. S. Air Force and attained the rank of Captain and was discharged in 1959. In 1963 he graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with an MBA degree and in 1965 from UNC Chapel Hill with a J.D. Degree. He worked three years in the Tax Section of the Trust Department of North Carolina National Bank (now Bank of America) in Charlotte where he met and married his wife, Betty Morton Chandler of Jacksonville, NC in 1967.

He was a member of First Baptist Church where he served as Director of the Sunday School. He also served as Deacon for twenty years, taught Sunday School for fifteen years and was a Department Director.

He was a member of the Breakfast Optimist Club, the Friend of Youth, for more than forty years, serving as President for two years. He also served as Lieutenant Governor of the N. C. East District of Optimist International. At the same time, he was involved for fifty years with the Boy Scouts of America becoming an Eagle Scout and earning the God and Country Award and was inducted into the Order of the Arrow. He attended the 1950 National Jamboree at Valley Forge; and later became the Chairman of the Macombta District and East Carolina Council Camporee Chief and Green Area Chief. He was also awarded the Silver Beaver Award by the Council.

He served on the Board of the Childrens' Museum for many years and as Treasurer of the Red Cross. He served as Trustee and Chairman of the Trustees for the North Roanoke Baptist Association for ten years. He was also, for many years, a member of the Board of the Christian Fellowship Home for recovering alcoholics. He also served on the Downtown Revitalization Panel.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Betty M. Chandler, daughter Susan C. Young and son, Robert M. Chandler, III and wife, Jennifer; three granddaughters, Chandler Carolann Young, Madelyn (Mattie) Elizabeth Young and Savannah Grace Chandler; one step granddaughter, Brittney Cannon; his sister, Anne Chandler Murdoch and husband, Leon, of Pittsboro, NC, and sister-in-law, Debra H. Chandler of Greenville, NC; four nephews, one niece, eight great nephews, three great nieces.

Flowers are welcome or memorials in his memory may be directed to First Baptist Church, 200 S. Church Street, Rocky Mount, NC 27804.

A gathering to celebrate his life will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, July 23, 2022 at First Baptist Church officiated by Rev. William V. Grisham, Rev. Michael J. Chandler, nephew, and Rev. Luke Lunceford, pastor, with visitation following the service.

Services provided by Davis-Little Funerals, Rocky Mount. Online condolences may be submitted at www.davislittlefunerals.com.