Kathleen Olson Chandler, "Kay" was born on a dairy farm near Clayton, Wisconsin on October 13, 1927. She schooled in Clayton and graduated from Clayton High School as salutatorian in 1945. The caption under her class picture stated, "Kay is proof that beauty and brains do go together." She sewed her own frocks in high school, and won a contest for style queen of Polk County. A few years later in a swim suit, she was selected the first fall festival queen of Amery, Wisconsin.
Kay worked at a bank in nearby Amery, Wisconsin. Then, she moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota where she worked for the Northwest Bank Corp. While there, she met Hewitt Chandler at the Hennepin Methodist church young adult group. Through his arm-twisting and persuasion, she finally agreed to marry him. They were married in December, 1954 at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. on their way to Charlotte, N.C. A year later they were transferred to St. Louis where he worked for Ralston Purina and Kay for Monsanto.
In 1959 they moved to Kansas City where Kay worked primarily as a homemaker and volunteer. It was there that she gave birth to Sarah and Blake, the joys of her life. In Kansas City, she was active in volunteer work and was awarded a Lifetime Membership in the National Parent Teachers Association for her work as an officer and volunteer for PTA associations in the Shawnee Mission, Kansas public school system. In 1975, she served as president of Johnson County Young Matrons, a 250 member philanthropic organization which won first prize nationally of $10,000 in the Sears Community Improvement Contest.
Later they moved to Sioux City, Iowa where she was the executive secretary for the General Motors plant manager and Editor of the plant newspaper. She earned her business degree in 1991, at age 63, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Briarcliff College in Sioux City. She was selected for "Who's Who in American Universities and Colleges."
They moved to Sun City West in 1995 where she has remained active in a church neighborhood group. Kay served as president of the Connections Club, the successor to Welcome Wagon, in Sun City West. Kay especially enjoyed her sisters in PEO Chapter DQ.
Kay passed away in Arizona on April 20, 2012. She leaves behind her husband of 57 years, her daughter Sarah and son Blake. She also has brothers William Olson of Clayton, Wisconsin and Ron (Rhonda) Olson of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and an Aunt Luella Vassau of Amery. She has two attractive and talented young grandsons Payton and Holden.
Her high school class inscription was prophetic: "Brains and Beauty" do go together, especially when supplemented with a hard work, tenacity, a vibrant personality and love. She was proudest of her efforts to be a good Mother and Grandmother, and to help people in need through her volunteer work. It was her wish that people remember her as someone who tried to do her best. She will be sorely missed.
Funeral services are planned at the Williamson-White Funeral Home in Amery on Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 2 p.m. in the afternoon. There will be a visitation time for the hour prior to the service. Burial will be at the Amery Cemetery.