Mary Dolores Chandler

Mary Dolores Chandler was born in Pocatello, Idaho on February 1, 1929. She was the first daughter and second child of Glenn Leonard and Mary Vilate Christensen Crouch. Her older brother, Howard, was born about 2 years before Dolores. Five years later the family increased with the birth of twins, Eldon and Elna. The family lived in Pocatello, Thomas, Aberdeen, and back to Pocatello where Mom graduated from Pocatello High School. In Thomas great grandpa owned a meat market and we have pictures of Mom in the store with grandpa. She learned how to cut meat under his tutelage. One time Janis was listening to Mom and Howard talk about their childhood. She remembers being horrified about some of the scary things they attempted. They also seemed to have a lot of fun as children.

Mom graduated from Pocatello High School in 1947 and attended Idaho State in Pocatello. It was a wonderful time to be a girl at college. All of the young men who had been in the service during WWII were at school on the GI Bill. Mom was out-numbered by the boys which was not a problem at all. Mom was involved in school and institute activities. During the summer of 47 my Dad returned from service in the Navy. His parents lived in the same ward as the Crouches. In fact, Mom had dated or possibly as kids today do “hung out” with his younger brother Homer. Dad’s beautiful hair really never returned after it was shaved when he entered the navy. Mom wasn’t too sure she wanted to date a “bald” guy. Dad persisted and eventually they got engaged. Mom’s younger brother used to think that “J” as Dad was called came to visit him. Mom had to pay him to get him to leave them alone.

Sometime in the spring of 1948 they got engaged and were married in the Salt Lake Temple on September 3, 1948 by Joseph Fielding Smith at that time the President of the Salt Lake Temple as well as an Apostle. They went immediately to southern Utah on their honeymoon and when they returned to Pocatello they had their reception and set up housekeeping in a basement apartment owned by the Crouches. They used to visit their parents often and usually at dinner time for a free meal. Dad continued one more year at school but after he got a job selling shoes for J.C. Penney’s he quit going to school and they moved to Blackfoot, Idaho. In 1950 Mom had a baby that was stillborn. In 1951 Janis was born 5 weeks early in November. Sometime in 1952 they moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho and Jim was born in April of 1953. He was almost delivered in an underpass on the way to the hospital and Dad hadn’t even finished filling out the paperwork before he entered the world.

Sometime about 1954 Dad went to work for Metropolitan selling life insurance and they bought their first home. Mom worked as a secretary for a car dealer and later as the back office assistant for a doctor. He trained her to give shots and do many other medical procedures.

In 1959 Diana was born at the end of March. Not too long after Dad changed jobs at least twice, first working for a candy company and then for Royal Stationery. The move to California in 1967 came as a result of the amount of time away from home that Dad was spending in California. The first move was to Dublin in the San Francisco bay area. A little over a year later in 1968 the family moved to southern California. One week later Dad had a heart attack. After he recovered Mom returned to school to get her AA and RN at Pierce College. She graduated in 1971. After passing the state board exam she went to work for St. Joseph’s Hospital in Burbank where she worked the night shift taking care of new mom’s after the birth of their baby. She retired from there shortly after the 1994 earthquake in Northridge.

Mom was a very talented individual. She was an artist. One of her paintings is displayed in the foyer. She did crochet, needlepoint, embroidery, Egyptian embroidery. She made dolls. She was very crafty. She also loved being outside and she was often outside weeding, taking care of her roses and in general keeping the yard nice. She was also known to grow vegetables. She was able to fix things around the house and was often helping Dad with those tasks or doing them herself when he was out of town. She and Dad enjoyed collecting dolls and other items. Mom was also a great shopper. She was always coming home with fantastic deals. Her kids were often heard to say, “I got a great deal on (something) just like mom would have done.

Mom waited a while to become a grandmother. She was present for the birth of all six grandchildren either at the hospital and/or in the delivery room.

Mom also served in many church callings her favorite being in the library. She took care of her mom once grandma could not stay alone. She had also helped her mom take care of her mother. She was a wonderful visiting teacher and developed a close relationship with her sisters. Mom was a compassionate lady. One time she went with Janis to visit a friend in the hospital and Janis was amazed at her caring manner. In 1996 Dad died and Mom continued living in Chatsworth until 2007 when she sold her home and bought a home in Lancaster, California. She gave up driving when she turned 80 in 2009 and Jim’s family helped her with transportation and other needs. In 2011 she came to live with Janis. She went everywhere with Janis and lived a very full life. They walked practically every day plus shopping and other activities. She helped Janis in her calling at church and attended many events.

Mom passed away at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, September 9 just 6 days after what would have been Dad and Mom’s 66th wedding anniversary.

Luyben Family Dilday-Mottell Mortuary (562) 425-6401