Clifton C. Chandler

CLIFTON C. CHANDLER, beloved son of Geraldine M. Chandler and the late Frederick A. Chandler was born on February 2, 1938 in the Baltimore City Hospital. He departed this life in the St, Joseph Hospital of Baltimore on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 12:23p.m. Clifton collapsed during his regular important exercises at the Brightwood Center for his rehabilitation. New complications set in and he was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph Hospital; after serious CPR was performed within seconds he was gone. Clifton was the eldest of three sons. He was educated in the Baltimore Public School System. He graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School in 1957. Clifton, better known as “Boonie”, was a great basketball player while in school. His was the team which won the first MSA Basketball Championship when most Baltimore schools were still integrated. He was a member of the first Baltimore Black Hall of Fame players (a high school version). After completing high school Boonie went to work at Lutheran Hospital of Maryland where he trained to be a certified respiratory therapist. He was gainfully employed there for over two years. He then moved onto the University of Maryland Hospital where he worked until he was drafted into the United States Army. Because of his progress and achievements and certified in respiratory therapy, he was assigned to Martin Army Hospital in Fort Benning, Georgia. Here he worked in the operating room. He later became an airborne special medic administering serious treatment for soldiers with respiratory ailments. His medical experience and service gained him extensions to army service elsewhere. He was sent to Korea for 16 months of medical work and so on. In Korea he was promoted to Sergeant, and attached to the 8th Army Brigade the 7th Medical Battalion. He was a graduate of the CBR School of Chemical Biological Radiological Warfare. In Korea he also worked in counter guerilla warfare and attended school there. Other involvements while in the army were: he played basketball for the 3rd Army Platoon and took part in many tournaments in the Far East. After returning home and being involved in other work, he went to work for the United States Postal Service in the Lutherville/Timonium area where he received many rewards and benefits. He was very accommodating to the customers on his route and helped them with medical needs as he was trained in the respiratory field. Clifton retired from the United States Postal Service after thirty-four years of dedicated service as a mail carrier for the Lutherville/Timonium Area. He was a mailman “Extraordinaire”. From ten years old, Boonie was taught about pigeons, this was his greatest hobby;; not basketball In the service he held wonderful positions at different hospitals and etc. After his return, he went back to his first love, caring and training for pigeons in the art of homing with the hopes of racing them some day. He kept his pigeons on his own property and had his own coops. He became a member of the Internal Federation of racing and the American Union of Homing Pigeons. He finally raced them some day. He kept his pigeons on his own property and had his own coops. He became a member of the Internal Federation of Racing and the American Union of Homing Pigeons. He finally raced them, from as far as 300 miles, and became one of the most successful black flyers on the East Coast. He earned lots of awards and monetary gifts. Clifton also was a Travel Planner for overseas cruise trips around the world out the Port of Baltimore for many years. In 1967 Bonnie met and married the late Louis Smith and from this union was born one son, Kevin Chandler, who preceded his father in death. Clifton leaves to cherish his memory: his loving and devoted mother, Geraldine Chandler, who was his caregiver; two grandsons Tavon Worrall and Nijai Chandler; granddaughter, Patrice Jackson; one ex-daughter-in-law Constance Lewis; one niece, Marsha Williams; one nephew, Frederick Chandler, 3rd; one aunt, Reverend Mahalia L., 2nd, Allen B., Ruth B., and Annie B.; and a host of other relatives. He had many close friends among them was his helper and best friend, “Toast.”

Tributes

Clifton C. Chandler

February 2, 1938 - October 12, 2010