Madolyn Marie Chandler

Madolyn Marie Chandler passed away at home with family present on November 21, 2022.

She was born at home on the family farm November 6, 1924, about three miles north of Lamoni, Iowa to Orel and Herma Work.

She attended country school and graduated from Lamoni High School.  She then went on to attend Graceland College in Lamoni and obtained education in business.  After her college education she was offered a job at the college and then went on to work at the Lamoni Creamery where she met her husband, Keith Chandler.  Then she worked at the local Farmers Co-op Store in Lamoni.

Madolyn and Keith were married December 5, 1948.  They lived in Lamoni where their two sons were born until Keith’s Job at The Michigan Wisconsin Pipeline was transferred to the Birmingham Iowa Plant.  At this time, they moved to Fairfield where they made their home and Madolyn lived until 2015 when she moved into her son’s home in Packwood due to her health.

Before transferring to Fairfield, Keith and Madolyn hosted “college daughters” from Graceland College in their home with whom they stayed in close contact with for many years.

After moving from Lamoni to Fairfield Madolyn went to work at Farm Service and then on to American Chain and Cable where she worked until her mother in Lamoni became ill.  She then went back and forth from Fairfield to Lamoni helping her father until her mother’s death.  During this time, she also cared for a close family friend in Lamoni, Hazel Hall, that Madolyn had known through her childhood.

After her mother’s passing Madolyn and her father came back to her home in Fairfield where she cared for her father until his death.

Madolyn was a very caring and compassionate person.  She always had a smile and a bright disposition.

When Madolyn wasn’t caring for others, she was busy with many activities.  She volunteered for the Jefferson County Hospital Auxiliary for several years.  She played cards with several groups, bowled on a league, traveled with the Heritage Club and enjoyed camping with family.

Madolyn’s most cherished time was spent with her family.  Just 15 days before she passed, she celebrated her 98th birthday and every one of her family members came to give love and honor to her.

Surviving to cherish her memories are her son’s: Virgil (Marty) Chandler and Carl (Suzann) Chandler.  Grandchildren: Colten (friend Hillary) Chandler, Nicole (Robert) Ford, Jessica (Doug) Sanders, Cody (fiancé Brandy) Carcia and Clayton Carcia.  Great Grandchildren, Britney (friend Clayton) Haile, Breana (Curtis) Hardman, Kayla (Olin) Skinner, Kirstin Chandler, Chris Ehret, Trinity (fiancé Shamas) Ehret, Ben Ehret, Ava Ford, Dillon Sanders and Jace Sanders.  Great Great Grandchildren: Nora Skinner, Brantley Haile and Dawson Skinner.  College daughter Sharon Ackley.

She was preceded in death by her husband Keith Chandler and her parents Orel and Herma Work, and her college daughter Jane Ann Barnes.

A celebration of life service to honor Madolyn’s memory will be held at the Fairfield Community Center, 209 South Court Street in Fairfield, Iowa at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 7.

A luncheon will directly follow the service with a time to visit with her family and share her memories until 3:00 p.m.

Memorials may be made to:   Hospice Compassus of Washington, Iowa or Packwood First Responders and mailed to Virgil Chandler, PO Box 814, Packwood, Iowa 52580.