James Chandler, 79, of Moneta, Virginia, beloved husband of Gloria Chandler, passed away on January 15, 2025. Born in Eden, North Carolina on Valentine’s Day, 1945, Jim was the son of the late James & Irene Chandler. He graduated from Western Carolina University (WCU) after being a founding member and unofficial photographer of the Pi Kappa Alpha (PKA) fraternity. He served as a proud member of the Army National Guard. He and Gloria moved throughout the South and made friends everywhere they went, picking up new hobbies along the way. Jim worked in management at Sears before moving to Lowe’s Home Improvement later in his career. Jim and Gloria ultimately retired at Smith Mountain Lake, VA, spending over 20 years living at the lake.

Jim enjoyed fishing, woodworking, beekeeping, bluebird trail maintenance, and spending time with family and friends at Smith Mountain Lake and a vacation home at Emerald Isle, NC. He was a member of Rotary, Trout Unlimited, gun clubs, Izaak Walton League, and Stewards of the Earth. He had a fantastic memory, rarely forgot a face or name, and had phenomenal hearing (especially if you were whispering about him in a different room).

In addition to his wife of over 58 years, he is survived by a son, Scott B. Chandler (Rose Gray) of Blacksburg, VA; daughter, Shelley R. Chandler of Durham, NC; sister, Carolyn Baxter; niece, Debbie Miller (Perry) of Charlotte, NC and brother-in-law, Charles Young (Joan).