Obituary of John W. Chanler

John Winthrop Chanler, 68, of Avon Rd. in Geneseo, died Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at his residence. He is survived by his wife Sheila Welch Chanler, his children, Kevin (Kathleen) Chanler of Taos, NM, Andrew (Allison) Chanler of Geneseo, Alice (Daniel) Brannegan of Stonington, CT, grandchildren, Hailey Chanler, Mary, Samuel and William Chanler, Nora and Luke Brannegan, siblings, Elizabeth Chatwin of Oxford Shire, England, Adrian (Sue Thornton) Chanler of Charleston, SC, Oliver Chanler of Geneseo, Alexander (Carole) Chanler of Andover, MA, Margaret Gay Chanler of Flagstaff, AZ, Felicity (Blake) McClenachan of Lenox, MA, Alida (Daniel) Dierker of Flagstaff, AZ, 15 nieces and nephew and their families. He was preceded in death by his father Rear Admiral Hubert W. Chanler in 1974 and his mother Gertrude L. Chanler in 1999. He was born April 4, 1940 in Washington, DC, the son of Hubert Winthrop and Gertrude Laughlin Chanler. John graduated from Portsmouth Abbey School in Rhode Island in 1958 and went on to Villanova University in Philadelphia, PA, graduating in 1962. He then served in the US Marines from 1962 - 1965. This was followed by 2 years in the Federal Bureau of Investigation as an agent in Kentucky and Chicago. He was a member of St. Mary's Church in Geneseo, a Past President of the Genesee Valley Conservancy in Geneseo, the Genesee Valley Hunt and it's Board of Governors, a former Board Member of the Geneseo Foundation at S.U.N.Y. at Geneseo, Geneseo Fire Department, Loon Lake Voyagers Adult Hockey Team and Geneseo American Legion Post 271. John was a licensed pilot as well as an avid skier. He founded the Chanler Insurance Agency with offices in Livonia and Geneseo, which was purchased by his son Andrew in 2002. Visitation will be held at the family residence, 4047 Avon Rd. in Geneseo on Friday, March 27, 2009 from 3-7 PM. Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 10:00 A.M. at St. Mary's Church in Geneseo with Father Joseph Marcoux officiating. Private Committal Services will immediately follow Mass in St. Felicity's Chapel. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery in Geneseo. Memorials may be made to the Genesee Valley Conservancy, P.O. Box 73, Geneseo, NY, 14454 or an organization shared with John.