Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

May 21, 2024

CHARLOTTE – After a brief battle with ALS and Dementia, Tom Chandler peacefully passed away on May 21, 2024. And, while we are heartbroken and saddened that he is gone, we celebrate this wonderful man and 77 spirited years of life.

Tom loved people. He loved his family and his friends. He found happiness in seeing those he cared about happy. He loved two hot dogs with chili, slaw, and onions. Melvin’s Hamburgers and, barbecue, vinegar based of course, but he was an equal opportunity barbecue fan, and took joy in barbecue from other regions, too. He loved LSU Football, UNC basketball, and the Bladenboro Spinners.

Not long after his birth in September of 1946 in Lancaster, South Carolina, his family moved to Bladenboro, North Carolina.  Here he would grow up living, and finding pure joy for a place and people that lasted a lifetime. Bladenboro would become the foundation for so many of his famous stories with his carefully crafted and patient delivery. He loved to tell how he saw the regionally famous “Beast of Bladenboro” shortly after the local townsmen hunted it down and killed it. He would explain that it was a Saturday morning, and he was sitting in the barber’s chair at the local barbershop, when the townsmen pulled in across the street, and everyone gathered around the truck to see “the beast”. Turns out it was a mountain lion, but he saw it and loved to tell you all about it!

After graduating from Bladenboro High School, Tom enrolled at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, North Carolina where he would meet, and eventually marry the love of his life, Mary Helen Maffitt. After Lees-McRae he enrolled at Pfeiffer University, where he would earn a degree in Economics. Shortly after graduation he and Mary were married, and almost immediately joined the United States Navy. He was stationed in Jacksonville, Florida, for what would become some of the best years of his life. Tom loved to reminisce about his time in Jacksonville and, if ever a song that reminded him of Jacksonville came on the radio, you were sure to get an enthusiastic “Jacksonville!” from him before he would turn the radio up a few clicks.

Together Tom and Mary had two boys, Tommy, and Barron. While traveling often for work, Tom crafted his schedule to ensure he was never away from home more than one night per week. He made it a point of being home at night and being present with his boys. He coached their basketball teams, helped with baseball and golf. Whatever was needed, he would make the time.

As Tommy and Barron married, Tom was thrilled to have gained two daughters in Shannon (Tommy) and Emily (Barron). Soon, Tom was blessed with three wonderful grandchildren, Bratton, Sloane, and Tommy III. Tom loved his grandkids tremendously. He loved talking about them, seeing videos of their accomplishments, FaceTime calls, and being with them as much as was possible. He took great joy in the characteristics that made each of them unique.

Tom loved golf. Talking about it, watching it, and especially playing it. He particularly loved to play it with his wife, Mary. However, if he played with anyone else, you could be guaranteed he would know all about them by the back nine, often exchanging numbers and keeping up with his playing partners as the years went on. Tom especially loved Boone Golf Club. He spent most of his summers up in the high country playing the course with Mary (and anyone else) any chance he could.

As Tom got older, he invested much of his time in Pfeiffer University. He graciously accepted opportunities to speak to the business school students about starting and building a business. However, he was most proud to chair and work to bring his 1968 graduating class together for reunions and fellowship. He worked tirelessly on these events, and it was through these efforts that he cultivated friendships that sustained him and carried him in his later years.

One of Tom’s biggest and most proud accomplishments was founding and building his company, Cornerstone Staffing Solutions. Tom worked hard to build his company, doing it his way- by building relationships, going the extra mile, giving genuine care and consideration to customers and employees alike. He surrounded himself with a wonderful team that to this day have been loyal and purpose driven, working as Tom would have wanted them to work to achieve success. He cared so deeply for his team to the point where they became family to him.

Tom was loyal, he was giving, and he was a friend to all. He did not care about your background, your position, your race, or your religion. He wanted to know everyone, where they were from, where they went to school, where they worked, did they play golf and so on. He saw you for who you were and took great joy in learning about each person he encountered.

While our time in this life with Tom has ended, we are blessed with the memories and the stories that will ensure that his legacy lives on.

Tom is survived by his wife of 55 years, Mary, his sons, Tommy Chandler and wife, Shannon, and Barron Chandler and wife, Emily, his grandchildren Bratton, Sloane, and Tommy III., his brother Joe, and his beloved cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, the late Joseph Barron Chandler and Katherine Hedgpath Chandler.

A graveside service with Military Honors for Tom will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, May 31, 2024, at Mayesville Black River Cemetery in Mayesville, South Carolina. The celebration of Tom's life will continue with a memorial reception at Mayesville Presbyterian Church, 109 West Sumter Street, Mayesville, South Carolina 29104.  

In lieu of flowers, Tom's family asks that you consider donating to the Joe Martin ALS Foundation or The First Tee of Greater Charlotte.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.