Joan Chandler, Photographer

Joan E. Chandler, 74:

Pilgrim descendant, prolific photographer, donated her work to others

Bath Maine - Joan E. Chandler, 74, of 3 Drummond Street and formerly of Gloucester, Mass, died at the home of her sister, Norma Presby-Barter, on Monday, March 9, 2015. She was born on July 13, 1940 in Bath, Maine, a daughter of the late Ellsworth and Elthea J. (Warner) Chandler.

She was predeceased by a sister Sue E. Chandler and a brother Roger M. Chandler.

Joan was a 1959 graduate of Morse High School in Bath, where she excelled in several sports, including basketball, softball and volleyball. Following high school, she enlisted in the Women's Army corp and attended photography school at Ft. Monmouth, NJ. She served in AL, NY, Frankfurt, Germany, MA, MD and AZ. Following military service she moved to Gloucester, MA and was employed as an office manager for a commercial photography studio in Boston for 15 years.

In 1979 she went to work for Varian Corp in Gloucester where she held several positions, electrical assembler, company photographer and process lab technician, she retired from there April 1, 2004.

During her 35 years as a professional photographer she amassed a collection of 25,000 negatives of women's sporting events which she donated to the Women's Sports Foundation in 2003. She loved photographing family and friends and spent several years doing her family genealogy. Her ancestor Edmund Chandler was a Pilgrim. He and Myles Standish were selected to be the first two representatives from Plymouth and his grandson Edmund married Elizabeth the granddaughter of John and Priscilla Alden.

After retirement she traveled visiting family and friends throughout the United States.

She was beloved by many friends and her family. She will be missed forever.

Joan is survived by two brothers, Robert Chandler of Bath and Paul and his wife Evelyn Chandler of Carlisle, PA; two sisters, Norma Presby-Barter and Ethel Orr both of Bath; several nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Santa Fund, P.O. Box 278, Brunswick, Maine 04011.

There will be no services at this time. A graveside service will be held at Oak Grove Cemetery in the spring.

To share your thoughts and condolences with family, please visit http://www.desmondfuneralhomes.com/obits/obituary.php?id=642300.