William Chandler

William Herrick Chandler

July 12, 1919 - June 29, 2018

William Herrick Chandler, 98, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 29 at 5:35pm. He was surrounded by loving family. Bill will always be remembered as a caring husband, a kind father and grandfather, and an all-around honorable person.


Bill was born on July 12, 1919 in San Francisco to Ralph William Chandler and Gwen Thornton Herrick. He grew up in San Francisco and often shared fond memories of his childhood in the city with his brothers Jim and John by his side. Exploring San Francisco on the trolly and on foot, they enjoyed going to the beach and getting five cent crabs on the pier. Bill graduated from Lowell High School in 1937 where he was on the varsity swim team and the varsity basketball team. He went on to UC Berkeley where he played water polo and earned a bachelor's degree in Commerce in 1941. He joined the Navy in 1944 and was trained in Sonar Operation. Bill was initially assigned to teach Russian officers to use electronic equipment at The West Coast Sound School. He was then transferred to Adak, Alaska where he ran the Officer's Club. This assignment was a good fit for Bill who always loved to play cards. After the war, Bill earned his graduate degree in Accounting from Golden Gate University and went on the get his CPA. He held various jobs as an accountant and auditor both in Los Angeles and in San Francisco. In 1952, Bill moved to Palo Alto and began his career at Varian Associates. During his years at Varian, Bill was an accountant, general corporate auditor, and a controller.


Bill met Bonita Hesse through a Unitarian Church Singles Group in Palo Alto. They were married in 1964, and Bill adopted Bonnie's eleven-year-old daughter Rebecca. Bill and Bonnie's second daughter Gwen was born in 1970. Bill and Bonnie were married for 53 years until Bonnie passed away in late 2017. Together they enjoyed swimming, volunteering at the Palo Alto Library used book room, birdwatching, and keeping up with - and sometimes debating - current events.


Bill is survived by his children Rebecca Collins and Gwen Day and by his grandchildren Emily Collins, Bonnie Collins, Lily Day, Sophie Day, and Colin Day. He will be fondly remembered for his love of family, his kindness and manners, and especially his dry and sarcastic sense of humor that he maintained all the way into his 98th year.