- Date Of Birth: July 24, 1997
- Date Of Death: December 3, 2019
- State: Indiana
Johnathon Paul Chandler, 22, of Greenwood, Indiana was born in Indianapolis, Indiana to Kelly and Anthony Chandler. Johnathon had a passion for landscaping from an early age that continued to be present throughout his life. As a child, John spent many days at a neighbor’s house helping to maintain various plants. Johnny became invested in learning about plants and began to landscape at his mother’s house. Hostas were an early favorite and with any extra money he had earned, John enjoyed adding them to his collection. When he was old enough to ride a lawn mower, it was nearly impossible to get him off of it. He quickly caught on to anything he tried and landscaping was no exception. He took pride in his work and constantly aimed to be better. Anytime you drove past his house, you’d see such meticulous and detailed work. And if you even looked like you were going to drive through the grass… good luck to you.
John was the most incredible son. He refused to let his mother go without and was always there to help. If his mom was having a rough day at work, there he was bringing her lunch and making her laugh with his ridiculous jokes. It was the simple, mundane things that made the biggest impact and he never realized how much they meant. As much as he hated walking down to Hamptons he’d walk through a tornado to get whatever she needed. He may not have been the best at handiwork, but he put all of his effort into everything he did. No matter how many times the dryer broke or the handle fell off the car, Johnny tried to fix it. Prior to his death, he tried to fix the dryer yet again… it still isn’t working. But defeat never stopped him. He loved his mother with so much of him and it showed through every act of kindness. Whether it was helping clean the most trivial things or being a shoulder to cry on, Johnathon was there.
In terms of brothers, there’s none better than Johnathon. He was incredibly selfless and did everything he could to help support each of his four siblings. He loved them almost as much as they loved him. Whether he was taking everyone fishing or taking them to the fair, he was always trying to find ways to make them smile. When he was younger and much more impressionable, he’d always finish chewing Kayla’s gum when it lost its flavor. He was always up for sneaking home more pets whenever Kayla asked or he’d help beg his mom until she caved. He’d bring home rats, rabbits, cats, dogs, and fish whenever he found them.
He’d always take Aaron with him to hang out with his friends and spend hours playing games with him. He once took Alyssa and Michael fishing and lost their favorite fishing pole to a “large” pond fish. He’d go on random Target trips and dress up in footie pajamas or put on the most ridiculous things. He always knew how to have the best time and make the most out of every situation. He was the protector of his siblings more than anything. There wasn’t a chance anyone was going to do anything to any of them even as they got older because Johnathon would be the first to stand up for them. Through it all, Johnathon was there.
John was the most patient grandson. He’d do anything for his grandpa even if it meant spending the entire day doing chores without being paid. He spent the day mowing the yard and trimming the hedges so that his grandpa didn’t have to do it alone. He was not the first to tackle the saxophone but he was the one who thrived at it and stuck with it the longest. His papa was always so proud watching him perform in band and seeing the tradition being passed down. His grandpa lit up every time he thought of Johnathon playing in the band with him one day. John would fix things around the house even if he didn’t have a clue what he was doing. He was always there to cheer papa up when he was in the hospital with his amazing sense of humor. No matter what papa needed, Johnathon was there.
Johnny was such a loving and loyal soul. He’d drop anything to help anyone in his life. His friends came second only to his family. He spent so much of his time sitting in the garage at his childhood best friend Dylan’s house or getting into trouble somewhere in the neighborhood. Whether they were installing new speakers in their cars or sitting by the pond together, Johnathon was an amazing friend. Even if they weren’t doing anything wrong, neighbors would call the police if they saw John and his friends together. And anytime his friends needed him, Johnathon was there.
Johnny was an incredible man. Though he was only 22 years old at the time of his death, he still touched the hearts of so many people. The impact he made on so many lives will always be cherished. He had the most infectious smile and was always laughing. Johnathon was an extremely loving and compassionate person. His presence was enough to light up the darkest room and his memory will live in the hearts of those he knew forever.
John is survived by his loving parents, Kelly Chandler and Anthony Chandler; siblings, Kayla Chandler, Aaron Chandler, Alyssa Chandler, Michael Chandler; Aunt, Kimberly Reynolds; lifetime friends, Dylan Williams, Cody Hendrickson, and Rylyn Taylor. He was preceded in death by his incredible grandparents, Paul and Darlene Hutchinson, John and Gayle Chandler; his favorite dog, Roxi; his cousin Mitchell Ramey.
