Rickie Wayne Chandler

Rickie (Rick) Wayne Chandler, 65 of Avon Park FL passed away April 10, 2018 at Florida Hospital Sebring. He was born May 11, 1952 in Granville County, NC to Marion Thomas and Annie Ruth Harp Chandler, both deceased. He was educated in Vance County Schools. He met the love of his life, his wife of almost 46 years, Debra Elaine Deal, in October 1968 while they were both attending Henderson High School. They married in June 1972. Rick began a career in textiles at Continental Hosiery and remained until he became seriously ill with cardiovascular disease.  Three heart attacks and a quintuple bypass left him totally disabled. His last job in textiles was at Gold Toe Socks in Burlington, NC, where his family lived from 1981 until 2015. Rick and Debra moved to Florida in 2015. Rick is survived by his wife, one son and daughter-in-law, Ryan and Angela Chandler of Elon, NC, two grandsons who were the lights of his life, Will and Tyler Chandler, of Elon. He is also survived by one brother, Reverend Ron B, Chandler and his wife, Ellen of Henderson, NC, two brothers-in-law and their wives, Andy and Lee Deal of Suffolk, VA and James and Patricia Deal of Youngsville, NC and a sister-in-law, Vicki Gatano Deal (widow of Eric) of Henderson, NC, numerous cousins, nieces and nephews and his cherished friends and former neighbors in Burlington, NC, Cathy and Jerry Johnson. He is also survived by his canine constant companion, Lucy. He is predeceased by his parents, three brothers and their wives, Marion T. and Charlene Chandler, Jack and Edna Chandler and Harold Lee and Gertrude Chandler, two sisters and their husbands, Ruth and John Boyd and Kathleen and Thomas Morton, His Parents-in-law, Elmer and Betty Deal and a brother-in-law, Eric. Memorial services will be conducted by Pastor George Hall on Saturday April 14, 2018 at 2:00 PM at Avon Park Lakes Baptist Church. Family requests that flowers be omitted and suggests that memorial be directed to Avon Park Lakes Baptist Church Building Fund, 2600 N. Highlands Ave. Avon Park, FL  33825