Hugh Ernest Chandler

Mr. Hugh Ernest Chandler, 92, of Tifton died Tuesday, December 20, 2022 at his residence following a brief illness.

Visitation for friends and family will be held Wednesday, December 21, 2022 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Albritton Funeral Directors in Tifton. Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday, December 22, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Ty Ty with Rev.  Rodney Owens officiating. Full military honors will be rendered. Interment will follow on Friday, December 23, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at Oaknoll Memorial Gardens in Rome.

Pallbearers will include Jeff Fambrough, Linn Hudson, Ed Wilson, Jack Moore, Bobby Simpson, Ron Hooks, Wilbur Haman and Dick Puckett. Honorary pallbearers will be members of T.H.E.E. Sunday school class at the First Baptist Church of Ty Ty and members of the Little River Wood Turners Group.

Mr. Chandler was born in Cedar Bluff, AL, on Aug. 22, 1930. He was the only child of Duard E. and Jewell B. Chandler. Chandler graduated from Cedar Bluff (AL) High School. Following graduation, Chandler worked in several different fields before becoming a tool and die maker in 1951 at Dixie Aluminum in Rome.

In 1952, Chandler was drafted into the U.S Army.  Chandler served in combat with the 37th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division during the Korean War. For his service, he was awarded the Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, ROK Presidential Unit Citation and the Good Conduct Medal. Having achieved the rank of Sergeant First Class, he was honorably discharged from the Army following the conclusion of the war.

Mr. Chandler rejoined Dixie Aluminum in 1953 and then worked for the William L. Bonnell Company in Newnan as a tool and die maker starting in 1958.

A few years later, Frank Koran, who was Chandler’s boss at Bonnell, was hired by Alcoa Inc. and was tasked with building a new aluminum plant in South Georgia. Koran recruited Chandler to serve as his right-hand man, and together they developed plans and opened Tifton Aluminum in 1966. In 1981, Chandler was given responsibility for planning, development, construction and daily operations of a new Tifton Aluminum production facility in Delhi, LA, where he served as vice president.

Mr. Chandler returned to Tifton in 1986 to serve as vice president of Tifton Aluminum. He was active in the Tifton Rotary Club, the Masons, Springhill Country Club and South Georgia/North Florida Senior Golf Association. He also served as vice mayor on the Tifton City Council and spent one day as mayor following the resignation of the elected mayor one day prior to the end of his term.

In his later years, Chandler enjoyed traveling, golfing, saltwater fishing and spending time with friends and family. He also became intrigued with woodworking and was a self-taught woodturner who regularly sold his creations at the Tifton mall during the Christmas season and at craft shows throughout Georgia. He was active in the Little River Wood Turners Group.

He is survived by his wife Linda Chandler of Tifton; daughter and son-in-law Ann and Mike Fambrough of Buford, daughter Deborah Chandler of Monroe, LA, stepdaughter Wendy Collins of Ty Ty, stepson and his wife Linn and Suzanne Hudson of Sharpsburg; grandson and his wife Jeff and Julie Fambrough of Buford, granddaughter Olivia Chandler of Monroe, LA, granddaughter Samantha Hudson of Brookhaven; and great grandchildren Issac and Hannah Fambrough of Buford. He was preceded in death by his parents Duard E. and Jewell B. Chandler; wife Martha Moore Chandler and grandson Scott Fambrough.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to the Wounded Warrior Project or First Baptist Church of Ty Ty, PO Box 158, TyTy, Ga. 31795.

Albritton Funeral Directors of Tifton is in charge of the arrangements.