I don't know if anyone has posted this yet. Bill was the original son on the original father -son basketball combo at Marquette and much more. He was a great ambassador for Marquette and a great friend of my family. I'm saddened by his passing but honored to make this my first post. Read on
Bill Chandler, age 84, of Appleton, died peacefully of pneumonia on November 20, 2007. He was born January 2, 1923, to the late William S. and Viola (Pleuss) Chandler, in Ames, Iowa, was raised in the Milwaukee area, graduated from Wauwatosa High School and at 16, enrolled at Marquette University. During college he joined the U. S. Navy’s V-12 training program and went on to attend Marquette Medical School and graduated in 1946 as a MD – LTJG. During college and medical school, Bill played for the Marquette basketball team for 5 years and was the only player elected captain for 3 years. His father William S. Chandler, was the Marquette coach. They were the original father/son combination at Marquette. Bill was the first-ever recipient of the Robert McCahill Award which is the highest honor for a M. U. student given for athletic ability, scholarship and leadership. Dr. Chandler served 2 years in the Navy and then started a general medical practice in Wauwatosa. He accepted a surgical residency and graduated with a general surgery degree from the V.A. Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. On August 6, 1955 he married Paula Cornish in Fort Atkinson just after beginning his surgical practice in Appleton. Bill then went on to found the Fox Valley Surgical Associated with Dr. Gilbert Mueller. He remained with that medical group until his retirement in 1989. Dr. Chandler was a Board Certified Surgeon, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the Wisconsin Surgical Society. During his years as an M.D. he was active in the Outagamie County Medical Society, President of the Appleton Medical Center Hospital Board, President of the joint medical staffs of AMC and St. Elizabeth Hospital and a member of NOVUS Board of Trustees. Bill loved Appleton and was committed to Community service. He chose to give back to the area in a number of ways, serving on the board of the Outagamie Cancer Society, on the United Way Board and chairing the annual fundraising drive, as a member of the Y’s men and the YMCA board of directors for 17 years and as Board president, he was awarded the Y’s Volunteer of the year in 2005. He was a faithful member of First Congregational Church for 50 years, serving as it’s moderator in 1963. He was also a founding member of the Board of the Community Foundation in Appleton. After his retirement, he continued volunteering with the Red Cross, the Appleton Library Board and the Reading for Success program. Bill also joined the Downtown Rotary Club, an association he truly enjoyed. They honored him with the Pat and Charles Heeter-Paul Harris Fellowship Award. Bill and his wife Paula were awarded Outstanding Volunteers on the Year by the Red Cross and in 2003 and in 2005 they were given the Paul and Elaine Groth Mentoring Award, for making continued and meaningful contributions to the quality of life in the Fox Cities. He was an enthusiastic fan of many teams, including Appleton East High School, Marquette University, the University of Wisconsin and the Green Bay Packers. His wife, Paula, and his family were the joys of his life. His Moshawquit Lake cottage was the center of many of his happiest times. Dr. Chandler is survived by his wife of 52 years, Paula; His daughters, Nancy (Tim) Wilkinson and their children, William and Elizabeth; Mary (Tim) Radtke and their children, Andy, Tommy, Katie, Johnny and Jimmy; Anne Branum and her children, Marie, Jeni and William Moran; Susan Chandler and her children, Michael, Kevin, and Paula Scherer; his sister, Caryl Herziger, Neenah; his brother, Stanley (Betty) Chandler, Costa Mesa, CA; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parent and a son-in-law, Brian Branum. Funeral service for Dr. Bill Chandler will be held at 3:00 pm, Wednesday, November 28, 2007, at FIRST CONGREGATIONAL U.C.C., 724 East South River Street, with Reverend Stephen Savides officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4 – 8 pm Tuesday. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund is being established in his name. He was a kind, compassionate and humble man.
“That man is a success who has lived well, laughed often an loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of children; who has filler his niche and accomplished his task; who leaves the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem or a rescued soul; who never lacked appreciation of the earth’s beauty or failed to express it; who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had.” Robert Louis Stevenson
