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Obit For Dr. Samuel Wilson Chandler
Headline COUNTY LOSES PROMINET CITIZEN
Funeral Services For Veteran Cassville Physician Held Sunday
Text In the passing of Dr. S.W. Chandler, Cassville and Barry county have lost their oldest practicing physician and one of their leading citizens. For more than fifty-five years he had faithfully ministered to the sick of this section of Barry county. As was announced in last week’s REPUBLCIAN. Dr. Chandler passed away Thursday. Feb. 8, at a Springfield Hospital where he had been for treatment for nearly four weeks. Death was due to heart attacks.

Impressive funeral services were held at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon, Feb. 11, at the Koon Funeral Home in Cassville. The services were conducted by Rev. J. A. Burris, Pastor of the Methodist church in Cassville of which Dr. Chandler had been a member for more that forty years. Rev. Burris was assisted by Rev. C. F. Siler, Pastor of the Baptist church and Rev. H. V. Leslie, pastor of the Christian church. A quartet composed of J. L. Riddick, Chas Willis, Truman Thompson and Raymond King; and Mrs. R. G. Brooks, soloist; with Mrs. Troy Wilson at the Piano, furnished music. The flower were profused and lovely. An immense crowd of sorrowing friends from all over the county attended the services. Burial was on the family lot in the Washburn Prairie cemetery, with W. D. Koon undertakers in charge. At the grave the Masonic burial services were given by Pythagoras Lodge No. 383 A. F. & A. M. Masons from the Masonic lodges at Washburn, Wheaton, Purdy, and Monett attended.

Samuel Wilson Chandler was born in Vandalia, Ill., July 14, 1858. He was a son of William Britton and Martha Jane Chandler. He was the last of his father’s family to pass away. When a young man he came to Pierce City where he taught school and began the reading of medicine in the office of Dr. Hansard, a pioneer physician of that community. Later he attended and in 1884 was graduated from the Rush Medical college in Chicago and was granted his certificate from the practice of Medicine in this State. He located at Washburn.

He was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca McClure in 1885. He continued the practice of his profession at Washburn until he located in Cassville in 1898. After practicing here for a number of years he moved to San Antonio, Tex., and engaged in the practice there for a while, but soon returned to his old home county and had continued in the active practice of his profession until his last illness, a short time before the Christmas holiday, when he suffered a heart attack.

Dr. Chandler had long been recognized as one of the leaders in the medical profession in this section. He had served as President of the Barry County Medical Society and as president of the Southwest Missouri Medical Society. A public spirited citizen he always found time to devote to community and public affairs. He was always found on the right side of any question which concerned the best welfare of his community.

For nearly a half century he was one of the pillars of the Methodist church, having served for years as a member of the church board and also as a trustee. For nearly fifty years he had been a loyal member of the Masonic fraternity, forty-two years of that time he was a member of Pythagoras Lodge No. 383, A. F. & A. M. at Cassville. He was also widely known in business circles. He had been for many years the active vice-president and a heavy stock-holder of the First National Bank in Cassville.

Mrs. Chandler passed away in 1926. He was united in marriage five years later to Miss Eva Webb, of Washburn. Surviving of his immediate family are his wife, Mrs. Eva Chandler, a son Charles C. Chandler, President of the First National Bank in Cassville; Mrs. Lois Griffin, wife of George Griffin, who for the past several years had lived in Portland, Ore.; being children of the first marriage; three grand-children, Charles C. Chandler Jr.; Mrs. Frances Shaffer, now in California; and Chandler Griffin; also one great grand-son Charles Chandler the III. For many years Dr. Chandler had been one of the most faithful members of the Cassville Commercial Club. He attended the meetings of the club regularly and took a keen interest in the work of the club. Only a short time ago the club voted to him a life membership in the club and adopted a resolution which was a beautiful tribute to his life and character. His going is a distinct loss to this community and to the county at large which he had served so long as so well.
Research Note: Death Cert. # 6620
Name: Samuel W. Chandler
Born: July 18, 1858, Vandalia, Illinois
Parents: William Brittian and Martha J. (Micols) Chandler
Died: Feb. 8, 1940, Springfield Baptist Hospital, Springfield, Greene Co., MO
Buried: Washburn Prairie Cemetery, Barry Co., MO
Newspaper or Funeral Home Cassville Republican
Date Feb. 15, 1940
Death Cert Link Death Certificate
Resource -
Submitted by Barbara Erwin