Alan Bennett Chandler's Obituary
We, with a heavy heart, announce that Alan Bennett Chandler peacefully went to be with his Lord & Savior Jesus Christ on September 16, 2024. Alan was born on March 27th, 1950, and was adopted the next day by his parents Albert Burttram Chandler and his mother Catherine Dorothy Hawkins. Alan was a very loving husband and dog dad who will be missed forever. Alan is survived by his loving wife Martha of 50 years and their 4 vivacious fur-babies Lilly, Lucinda, Remi, and Brandi.
Alan attended boarding school in Switzerland until high school with his stepbrothers, and upon entering high school attended Culver Military Academy for which he was very proud. Following his graduation from high school, Alan took a year to travel around the world. Upon completing his trip, he took a job at the Miami airport in Dade County Florida where he met a young lady, that would become the absolute love of his life, Martha Emelia Chandler. After a short, but exciting, period of time dating; Alan and Martha decided to get married on June 7, 1974, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.
Alan attended the University of Miami where he got his bachelor’s degree in business. Later, down the line, after taking a semester at Auburn University and a few classes at other schools, he settled down and enrolled in graduate school at the University of Florida while trying to get into Vet School. After two years and 6 semesters of trying to get into the school of veterinary medicine at the University of Florida, Martha put her foot down and said, “Alan it’s time to get out of school and get a real job”. Alan went to the dean of sciences to find out what he needed to do to graduate, and he was informed that he qualified to receive a bachelor’s degree in organic chemistry as well as a master’s degree in toxicology. Alan had a few different jobs that were not very satisfying, including a long stent with a very renowned scientific consultant in Jonesville Florida. However, his heart was pulling him in a different direction. Alan ended up creating his own firm, Chandler and Associates, in 1994 followed by AAG Environmental in 1996. Alan and his wife Martha worked together to build AAG Environmental into a multimillion-dollar business performing every manner of environmental consulting specializing in Emergency Response and Phase I and Phase II site assessments.
Throughout this time Alan loved refereeing soccer games in the Alachua County area. He really enjoyed giving back to the community and sharing his love of soccer with the kids around his region of Florida. In 2017, Alan and his long-time friend and business partner decided to sell AAG Environmental to Alpha-Omega Training and Compliance of Titusville, Florida. Alan retired two years later to spend the rest of his life with his loving wife Martha.
Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with biliary cancer in 2017. Alan fought the good fight and defied all odds by making it almost 8 years after being told that he had less than two years to live. His love for his wife and his un-wavering faith in the Lord kept him smiling and witnessing and defying all odds for those years. He is preceded in death by most of his family, but the ones who are left behind with the loss of a very special kind and loving man that would willingly give a stranger the shirt off his back if he thought that they needed it. Alan was the kind of man that gave to others despite his own needs. He loved others without expectations and gave as if every day was his last. The world was a better place because he was in it.
Alan was a founding member of Christ’s Anglican Church of High Springs where he regularly attended. He did everything he could to grow the ministry and to love the church family around him. In lieu of flowers, you can donate, in his honor, to a charity of your choice. For those of you who knew him also know that he cared for each and every one of you very much. He will deeply miss interacting with all of you in his attempt to spread the light into the world with every step he took and every conversation that he engaged in.
Alan, we thank you for your steadfast service to your community, your sound wisdom that you shared with all, the fascinating stories you told, the open-hearted way that you saw the world around you and especially the example that you set for all of us to follow! God Bless you Alan and God Speed! Heaven awaits you, my friend!
Memorial service to honor Alan Chandler will be held at 4:00 P.M. on Sunday, September 22, 2024, at Williams-Thomas Funeral Home in Jonesville, 823 NW 143 St. Newberry, FL 32669. The family will also receive friends from 3:00 to 4:00 P.M. The interment will be on Monday, September 23, 2024, at 10:00 A.M. at Newberry Cemetery. Please visit his memorial page at www.williamsthomasfuneralhome.com.
What’s your fondest memory of Alan?
What’s a lesson you learned from Alan?
Share a story where Alan's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Alan you’ll never forget.
How did Alan make you smile?