Florus Chandler

FORT WORTH — Florus Chandler, 97, passed away Monday, March 17, 2014.
Funeral: 2 p.m. Thursday at Arborlawn United Methodist Church, 5001 Briarhaven Road, the Rev. Ben Disney officiating. Interment: Prairie Springs Cemetery in Burleson. Visitation: 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Brown, Owens & Brumley Funeral Home.

Memorials: Donations may be made to Bread Basket Ministry or Arborlawn United Methodist Church.

Florus was born Feb. 20, 1917, to Jacob and Emma Zimmer in the small town of Valmeyer, Ill. She started writing poetry in her childhood and later won awards for poetry and hymn writing in Illinois and Texas. She continued this throughout her life, writing her last poem in December 2013.

She moved to Texas in 1943 to marry Ray J. Chandler of Burleson and was privileged to be at home with her four children when they were young. During that time she served in many capacities in the PTA, including president of groups in Fort Worth and Everman. When her children entered college, she worked as a proofreader at the All Church Press and later as an office secretary until her retirement. She volunteered at the Bread Basket Ministry for 18 years, sometimes taking her grandchildren along so they could learn the joy of helping others. She was a graduate and former leader of Fort Worth Bible Study Fellowship.
Florus and her husband joined Arborlawn United Methodist Church in 1982. She organized prayer groups and was a well-known prayer warrior. She served as a Sunday school teacher for the Baker Burns Class and was very active in the United Methodist Women, serving as spiritual growth chairman.
Florus is remembered by her children as a master cook from the traditional school — she loved to put on a big meal for her family. Born during World War I, she witnessed much history and retained a remarkable memory for details of past events. She was a wonderful resource to her neighbors, even helping balance checkbooks for her younger neighbors when she was in her 80s. Family, faith and friends were most important to her.
Florus was preceded in death by her husband, Ray J. Chandler, in 1988.
Survivors: Daughter, Dianne Colburn; son, Ray Chandler and wife, Carrie, of Fort Worth; son, Roy Chandler and wife, Pat, of Albuquerque, N.M.; daughter, Cathie Read and husband, Ken, of Burleson; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

BROWN, OWENS & BRUMLEY
Family Funeral Home & Crematory
425 S. Henderson, 817-335-4557