Chester Ray Kylander

Chester Ray Kylander of Nashville, Indiana, passed away surrounded by family on January 18, 2021. He was born May 4, 1932 to Clifford and Dorothy Gordon Kylander in Terre Haute, Indiana. Growing up, Chet loved music and being involved with the Boy Scouts. As a young boy he would entertain neighbors by playing the ukulele or banjo and singing on the front porch. During his school years, Chet played tuba and sousaphone and also sang in chorus where he often soloed. As a senior in high school, he signed up for the Naval Reserves, which began a life-long career. In 1950, upon graduating from Wylie High School in Terre Haute he enrolled at Indiana State Technical College. In 1952, he dropped out of school to enlist in the US Navy. He served on the destroyer U.S.S. Yarnall during the Korean War. In December 1953, he received his honorable discharge from the Navy as Yeoman 1st Class. Following his stint with the Navy, Chet took advantage of the GI Bill and returned to ISTC and graduated in 1956 with a business degree. Following graduation, Chet went to New Jersey for training as an executive with the Boy Scouts. Upon completion of that training, he moved to California and successfully formed a new Boy Scout district. After a few years with Boys Scouts, Chet returned to his military background and became employed with the civil service. He was stationed at several bases, including Gentile Air Force Station in Dayton, OH, where he met and then married Janice E. Bechtol on February 18, 1961, in Ellerton, Ohio. They moved to Columbus, IN where Chet was stationed at Bakalar Air Force Base, and to Marshall, MI, where he worked at what is now the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center in Battle Creek, MI. In 1971 they moved to Brown County where Chet took over management of Lutheran Hills camp. He founded the Trevlac Volunteer Fire Department, which later moved to Helmsburg and is now known as the Jackson Township Fire Department. He then became owner of Village Office Supply and was the county’s locksmith. In late 1975, Chet established the county’s first locally owned ambulance service where he served the county for 8 years with an all volunteer staff of EMTs and First Aid responders. He taught many EMT courses over the course of his involvement with EMS in Brown County. In 1982, Chet returned to his civil service career and accepted a job at the Crane Naval Weapons Support Center where he retired as Integrated Logistics Manager at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in 1992. During Chet’s early retirement years he worked part time for the Brown County State Park greeting people at the gate. In 1994, he opened Kylander Services, Inc., doing background security checks at Southern Indiana courthouses, officially retiring in December 2011. Chet’s Boy Scout connections continued with him wherever he went. While in Dayton, Chet organized a Boy Scout troop. He organized and led the Helmsburg Cub Scout pack and Boy Scout troop, served as District Chairman, Hoosier Trails Council Board of Directors, started a Camp Masters Program and attended the Wood Badge Program for adults. He has been a member for 60+ years and has been awarded the Silver Beaver. His love and passion for music, along with his entrepreneurial skills, led him to start a German Band in the 1980’s. You would often find them performing at various social functions, community events, and traveling regionally for concerts. Later, in 1999, he organized the Brown County Community Band. In June 2019, Chet accepted a token of recognition from Brown County Community Band. On the statuette designed by the Lawrence Family Glassblowers, reads, “To our leader of the band, Chet Kylander.” In an article published in the Brown County Democrat written by Ben Kibbey in 2016, highlighting Chet’s “Volunteer Spirit” and many contributions to the Brown County community, Chet is quoted as saying, “If something needed to be done, as a citizen of the area, I thought it was my responsibility to do my part.” That was the heart and spirit of Chet Kylander. With a twinkle in his bright blue eyes, he loved interacting with people, helping to create a sense of community and “blazing trails.” Always seeing a need and doing it wholeheartedly in order for the need to be met. Chet and Janice, along with a group of friends formed a weekly Bible study which ultimately led to laying the foundation of Brown County Presbyterian Fellowship. Later in the early 2000’s, Chet, Pods Miller, and Jim McCauley had a vision of bringing in the Salvation Army to minister and help meet the needs of people in the county. As a result of their combined efforts the Salvation Army continues to have an effective ministry presence in Brown County. Chet was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Janice E. (Bechtol) Kylander, his son-in-law, Mark Brinegar, his sister, Joyce Kylander Maienschein. He is survived by his brother, Robert Kylander of Cheyenne, Wyoming; son, Chris Kylander (wife, Mandy Schroeder Kylander) of Fairfield, Ohio; daughters, Linda Brinegar of Columbus and Libby Zeigler (husband, Bob) of Nashville; nine grandchildren; Tim Kylander (wife, Vanessa), Mark Kylander (wife, Katelynn), Jonathan Kylander (wife, Kennedy), Christian Brinegar, Micah Brinegar, Jennifer (Zeigler) Rickard (husband, Josh), Laura Zeigler, John Wayne Zeigler, Cole Robert Zeigler; and four great-grandchildren, Josiah Kylander, Eleanor Kylander, Juniper Rickard, and Theodore Kylander; and several nieces and nephews. A private family graveside service will be officiated by his grandson, Tim Kylander. A public celebration of life service to honor Chet will be scheduled at a later date. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to Brown County Community Band, PO Box 2044, Nashville, Indiana 47448 Online condolences may be made to the family at www.BondMitchellFuneralHome.com