Ronda Chandler's Obituary
Ronda Mae Chandler (Cavness) was born to Ragon C. and Grace M. Cavness on October 11, 1934, in Blackwell, OK, during the depression era. Born of farmers, she grew up in Neosho, Anderson, and Joplin, MO. During her life she also lived in San Antonio, TX; Tampa, FL; Slidell, LA; and Broken Arrow, OK. She passed away on November 12, 2020, in Tulsa, OK. She is preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Taylor Chandler, her parents, Ragon C. and Grace M. Cavness, her brother George Cavness, her sister, Patsy Biggs (Cavness) and her granddaughter, Abby Nicole Randolph.
She is survived by her son Lee A. Chandler, who was also her caretaker; daughter Margaret Ranae Randolph (Chandler) and husband Bill Randolph, of Montgomery, TX; her son W.T. “Skip” Chandler and wife Nancy of New Orleans, LA; and son Brad S. Chandler and wife Celine of Canyon Lake, TX. She greatly enjoyed her 5 grandchildren: Christopher Randolph, Nia Chandler, Erin Chandler, Astin Chandler, and Devin Chandler.
She was a person that loved life and was always smiling or laughing. She was a kind and generous person who was always willing to help anyone she knew that was in need. She was also known to be clean, pressed, and to have her hair done wherever she went. She loved to travel to different places in the U.S. She always thought that there was plenty to see here in the United States, there was no need to go anywhere else. She loved the mountains and the trips taken to different National Parks. Ronda and Taylor took their children on some memorable family vacations, going to places like Carlsbad Caverns and the Philmont Scout Ranch in NM, Durango, CO, the Indian ruins in Utah, the Florida Keys, and the Natchez Trace trail. Ronda and Taylor also traveled quite a bit with their family after they were grown and had their own families. They went to places like Yellowstone National Park, Chicago, North Carolina, Georgia, Wisconsin, California, Yosemite National Park, the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon National Park, and to Banff, Canada as well.
Socially, she adopted the Tulsa Walking Club as her friends with whom they took many trips and participated in lots of walks not only in Oklahoma, but also in Missouri, Arkansas, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Alaska, and Canada. The friends she made in the walking club became her second family as she really enjoyed going and being with them, if not on a walk then just personally. This was her life, along with running their business with Taylor. On the Alaskan trip, she fell in love with Puffins and she loved watching them. She also saw a glacier up close as well as enjoyed her train trip from Denali. She was in awe of all she was able to see in Alaska. She saw the Northern Lights and rode on an Iditarod; she even zip lined with Taylor in Branson, MO.
She lived a full life, loving her children, grandchildren, her friends, and not least of which, she loved her God and our country. She was also a great cook and loved to sing. She loved her flowers and worked hard in her rose garden until she was no longer able to do so. Her roses were always beautiful. She loved to tease and be teased (especially by her grandson) as that is something one can never take away – the memories she created with each and every one of us that knew her and loved her. To those that knew her as well as her family, they are all blessed and better off having this very special lady as a part of their lives.
Due to COVID-19, a memorial service will be held at a later date.
May she now Rest in Peace.
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