Leah Mae Chandler
January 16, 1933 — November 29, 2020
Leah Mae Chandler
Leah Mae Pickup Chandler, 87 of South Jordan Utah passed away to join her husband, daughter, her brothers and sister, along with her mother and father on Sunday morning the 29th of November 2020.
Leah was born at home in Neola, Utah January 16, 1933, to Alton and Ada Belle Weight Pickup. She was the sixth child and second daughter in a family of seven children (five sons and two daughters). They moved from Neola to Randlett where the family farmed and raised cattle and horses. She spent her youth in and around the Uintah Basin in eastern Utah, living a hard-pioneering type life with little of today's comforts that she said just seemed normal. She endured the Great Depression and her brothers going to war in WWII. She graduated from Alterra High School.
She got engaged and married her high school sweetheart William Thomas Chandler Jr. (known as Tom) December 6th, 1950 in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a wedding dress made by her sister.
They setup housekeeping in Randlett where she worked at the Merc for her brother and made bread to sell to the Indians while Tom worked on the oil rigs. The first four children were born here in Roosevelt, Utah, while she moved around to Oregon and other locations to follow the work always returning to Randlett. When Tom changed from oil rigs to running the pump line for Mtn. Fuel he changed jobs again early in 1963 and moved to Salt Lake with one more daughter born here. They bought a house where they lived for 16 years and making many friends while serving in many church callings and raising their family. She served here as Relief Society president for several years.
Leah did all kinds of odd jobs for work, being a custom seamstress for many things from clothing to drapery. Also, years working as a financial recorder. She also made many of the wedding cakes for not only her children but many neighbors as well.
They built their dream home in 1979 near Pepperwood but without her children there, she always felt that she did not fit in, like parts were missing.
She was the rock in the family, the glue holding it together. She was the best grandmother anyone could ever ask for. She was a loving, caring and a very amazing woman. She was perfect and pure in almost every way. Her family always came first, holidays were always a special treat when she was there. She was always excited to see her family gather for holidays or special events. She was the best cook ever; her homemade rolls usually were the first to be devoured and then her pumpkin pie and deviled eggs. Another special favorite she always looked forward to was her family reunions, she loved to visit not only her brothers and sister but all of her nieces, nephews and their children and knew them all.
She was also there for the tough times, her life changed early in 1992 with the passing of her second daughter Renee and taking in of her two young children to raise. She also endured the passing of her husband in 1996 and each of her siblings passing. She was lonely living 24 years without her husband, but she did continue to live. She moved to a house she shared with her daughter, where she continued to be active. She worked at a hair solon as coordinator and volunteering, in charge of keeping the snack bar for grandkids sports.
She has seen the comforts of life change during her life, from candlelight to space flight. From horse and wagon travel to air travel. What a changing life she led.
She was preceded in death by her parents her sister and her five brothers. She was the last living sibling. Also preceded in death by her second daughter Renee (Fred Bennett). Survivors include daughter Paulette Olsen (Jay-deceased) of West Jordan, Utah; son Rodney (Patsy), of Draper, Utah; son Chris (Lynn) of Stockton, Utah; and Patti VanAmen (Erik) of South Jordan, Utah; 10 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren, and lived to see the birth of a 2nd great-great-grandchild.
There will be a graveside service held on Friday, December 4th at 2:00 p.m. for family members.
To view a video recording of the services, please go to:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=142248017328857
Leah was born at home in Neola, Utah January 16, 1933, to Alton and Ada Belle Weight Pickup. She was the sixth child and second daughter in a family of seven children (five sons and two daughters). They moved from Neola to Randlett where the family farmed and raised cattle and horses. She spent her youth in and around the Uintah Basin in eastern Utah, living a hard-pioneering type life with little of today's comforts that she said just seemed normal. She endured the Great Depression and her brothers going to war in WWII. She graduated from Alterra High School.
She got engaged and married her high school sweetheart William Thomas Chandler Jr. (known as Tom) December 6th, 1950 in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a wedding dress made by her sister.
They setup housekeeping in Randlett where she worked at the Merc for her brother and made bread to sell to the Indians while Tom worked on the oil rigs. The first four children were born here in Roosevelt, Utah, while she moved around to Oregon and other locations to follow the work always returning to Randlett. When Tom changed from oil rigs to running the pump line for Mtn. Fuel he changed jobs again early in 1963 and moved to Salt Lake with one more daughter born here. They bought a house where they lived for 16 years and making many friends while serving in many church callings and raising their family. She served here as Relief Society president for several years.
Leah did all kinds of odd jobs for work, being a custom seamstress for many things from clothing to drapery. Also, years working as a financial recorder. She also made many of the wedding cakes for not only her children but many neighbors as well.
They built their dream home in 1979 near Pepperwood but without her children there, she always felt that she did not fit in, like parts were missing.
She was the rock in the family, the glue holding it together. She was the best grandmother anyone could ever ask for. She was a loving, caring and a very amazing woman. She was perfect and pure in almost every way. Her family always came first, holidays were always a special treat when she was there. She was always excited to see her family gather for holidays or special events. She was the best cook ever; her homemade rolls usually were the first to be devoured and then her pumpkin pie and deviled eggs. Another special favorite she always looked forward to was her family reunions, she loved to visit not only her brothers and sister but all of her nieces, nephews and their children and knew them all.
She was also there for the tough times, her life changed early in 1992 with the passing of her second daughter Renee and taking in of her two young children to raise. She also endured the passing of her husband in 1996 and each of her siblings passing. She was lonely living 24 years without her husband, but she did continue to live. She moved to a house she shared with her daughter, where she continued to be active. She worked at a hair solon as coordinator and volunteering, in charge of keeping the snack bar for grandkids sports.
She has seen the comforts of life change during her life, from candlelight to space flight. From horse and wagon travel to air travel. What a changing life she led.
She was preceded in death by her parents her sister and her five brothers. She was the last living sibling. Also preceded in death by her second daughter Renee (Fred Bennett). Survivors include daughter Paulette Olsen (Jay-deceased) of West Jordan, Utah; son Rodney (Patsy), of Draper, Utah; son Chris (Lynn) of Stockton, Utah; and Patti VanAmen (Erik) of South Jordan, Utah; 10 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren, and lived to see the birth of a 2nd great-great-grandchild.
There will be a graveside service held on Friday, December 4th at 2:00 p.m. for family members.
To view a video recording of the services, please go to:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=142248017328857
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