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Jeffrey “Jeff” Chandler

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Jeffrey “Jeff” Chandler

Birth
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA
Death
15 Apr 2012 (aged 70)
Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego County, California, USA
Burial
Oceanside, San Diego County, California, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Obituary:
Jeffrey Chandler, an influential member of the family that built the Los Angeles Times and the last person with the Chandler name to play a significant role in the newspaper's ownership, has died. He was 70.
Chandler, who had been a radio station owner and real estate developer in the San Diego area, died Sunday at his home in Rancho Santa Fe after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer, his family announced.
Long a maverick who sought to return The Times to its conservative roots, Chandler was one of three representatives of his family on the Tribune Co. board of directors who forced a sale of the company to a group headed by Chicago real estate investor Sam Zell in 2007.
Tribune had bought Times Mirror, the parent company of The Times, seven years earlier, although the Chandlers kept a significant chunk of stock. With the sale to Zell, the Chandlers ceased to have an ownership stake in the business that had been purchased by their ancestor, Gen. Harrison Gray Otis, in 1884.
Although Chandler and his relatives were criticized by civic and journalism figures at the time for selling out the family's legacy for slightly more than $1.6 billion, the move may have proved prescient financially. Although the value of the company had already declined significantly, it continued to drop as the newspaper industry struggled with changing reader and advertiser habits and the broader recession. Within less than two years, Zell's highly leveraged deal had proven untenable and the company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
If Chandler felt regret or relief upon the sale of his family's ownership position, he did not express it publicly. Like many members of his extended family, he did not speak to reporters from the newspaper that created his fortune. He was among many Chandlers who became disaffected over the direction of the paper under the leadership of his first cousin, Otis Chandler, who became publisher of The Times in 1960. Otis claimed the position by leapfrogging the heir apparent, Philip Chandler, who was Jeffrey's father and Otis' uncle.
Simmering family resentment turned public in 1995, when Jeffrey Chandler and his sister, Corinne Werdel, were quoted in Forbes magazine complaining about the liberal drift of the paper. They specifically cited The Times' coverage of "environmental racism" -- patterns of pollution in predominantly poor and minority neighborhoods -- and its coverage of gay rights and the AIDS epidemic.
"This is a mainstream paper and the homosexual population is 1% to 1.5%," Chandler said. "When you start featuring these kinds of stories the way The Times does, you think, yes, it's important to talk about AIDS. That's something society should be concerned about and solve. But, my God, you've got a campaign going on here."
There was no evidence that those complaints, or a later study commissioned by the dissident Chandlers to document their claims of liberal bias, ever bore fruit. However, the year after the Forbes article, Otis Chandler shot back, telling Vanity Fair magazine that his relatives were a bunch of "coupon clippers" and "elitists." He later claimed he had been misquoted, but the damage had been done. Otis Chandler died in 2006.
Jeffrey Chandler, known as Jeff, was born Jan. 18, 1942, in Los Angeles, the son of Philip Chandler and Alberta Williamson Chandler. He was the grandson of Harry Chandler, who married Gen. Otis' daughter and became the business dynamo behind much of The Times' early success.
Jeff Chandler grew up in Pasadena, attending Polytechnic High School and later USC.
He spent childhood summers on Balboa Island, where he developed a lifelong love of sailing. In 1995 he competed in the Transpac race from San Pedro to Hawaii in his boat Pressure Cooker.
A tribute to Chandler this week on the sailing site sailinganarchy.com called him "one of those owners who wanted to do well, but wanted to have a good time while doing it. Relaxed, fun and unpretentious, he was a great owner, decent sailor and that rare combination of grace, spirit and perspective."
In 1971, Chandler married Charlotte Nilsson, and in 1975 they moved to San Diego County after his purchase of radio station KARL-FM in Carlsbad. Chandler established Tri-Cities Broadcasting and changed the station's name, first to KKOS, then to KUPR.
He later added KCEO-AM, which was among the first stations in the country to broadcast conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh's syndicated radio show.
Chandler sold the stations in 1997. According to his family, he devoted himself to personal and family investments, real estate development in the San Diego area, and his hobby of buying and restoring hot rods.
Chandler also served as president and chief executive of Chandler Ranch Co., which was described as one of the largest avocado growers in California.
Survivors include his wife, Charlotte; a daughter, Kristina; and two brothers, Bruce and Stephen.
Services will be private.
Los Angeles Times (CA) - April 20, 2012

Obituary:
Deceased Name: CHANDLER, JEFF
January 18, 1942 to April 15, 2012 Jeff Chandler passed away peacefully on April 15, 2012, at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, surrounded by his family. He was first diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer in 1998 and had a recurrence in 2007. He waged an amazing battle against the disease, never complaining and keeping his positive attitude to the very end. Jeff thoroughly researched prostate cancer and continued to search for new treatments both in this country and abroad. Jeffrey Chandler was born January 18, 1942, in Los Angeles, California, the son of Philip Chandler and Alberta Williamson Chandler. He was the grandson of Harry Chandler, Marian Otis Chandler, Albert Warren Williamson and Inez Culp Williamson. Jeff spent his childhood in Pasadena, attending local schools, including Polytechnic and USC. He spent his summers on Balboa Island, learning to sail in a Sabot, and progressing to Endeavors, Solings and eventually Olympic 5.5's. He would continue to sail for many years, racing up and down the California coast in his boat, Pressurecooker, and in the Transpac in 1995. Jeff met his future wife, Charlotte Nilsson, in Newport Beach in 1967. They were married in his parents' Pasadena living room on March 27, 1971. Their daughter, Kristina, was born April 6, 1972, in Newport Beach. In 1975, the Chandlers moved to San Diego County when Jeff bought FM station KARL in Carlsbad, established Tri-Cities Broadcasting and changed the station's name to KKOS. After eight years of negotiations, KKOS was upgraded from 3,000 watts to 25,000 watts and renamed KUPR, giving it power throughout San Diego County and Tijuana from its transmitter on Mt. Soledad. It could be heard from Laguna Beach to the Mexican border. Jeff sold the radio stations in 1997 in order to have more time for both personal and family investments, plus giving himself time to acquire and restore Hot Rods. He loved the challenge of real estate development in the San Diego area, serving as a partner in the development of the Carlsbad Inn, the Hilton Garden in Carlsbad as well as the new development of the Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort and Spa. Jeff also served an important role on the board of the Tribune Company for seven years. He supported the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA and The Natural History Museum in San Diego as well as missionary work around the world. Jeff is survived by his wife, Charlotte, his daughter, Kristina, and his two brothers, Bruce and Stephen, and their families, as well as the family of his late sister, Corinne Chandler Werdel. A private memorial service will be held Tuesday, April 24, 2012, at Nativity Catholic Church.
U-T San Diego (CA) - April 20, 2012
Obituary:
Jeffrey Chandler, an influential member of the family that built the Los Angeles Times and the last person with the Chandler name to play a significant role in the newspaper's ownership, has died. He was 70.
Chandler, who had been a radio station owner and real estate developer in the San Diego area, died Sunday at his home in Rancho Santa Fe after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer, his family announced.
Long a maverick who sought to return The Times to its conservative roots, Chandler was one of three representatives of his family on the Tribune Co. board of directors who forced a sale of the company to a group headed by Chicago real estate investor Sam Zell in 2007.
Tribune had bought Times Mirror, the parent company of The Times, seven years earlier, although the Chandlers kept a significant chunk of stock. With the sale to Zell, the Chandlers ceased to have an ownership stake in the business that had been purchased by their ancestor, Gen. Harrison Gray Otis, in 1884.
Although Chandler and his relatives were criticized by civic and journalism figures at the time for selling out the family's legacy for slightly more than $1.6 billion, the move may have proved prescient financially. Although the value of the company had already declined significantly, it continued to drop as the newspaper industry struggled with changing reader and advertiser habits and the broader recession. Within less than two years, Zell's highly leveraged deal had proven untenable and the company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
If Chandler felt regret or relief upon the sale of his family's ownership position, he did not express it publicly. Like many members of his extended family, he did not speak to reporters from the newspaper that created his fortune. He was among many Chandlers who became disaffected over the direction of the paper under the leadership of his first cousin, Otis Chandler, who became publisher of The Times in 1960. Otis claimed the position by leapfrogging the heir apparent, Philip Chandler, who was Jeffrey's father and Otis' uncle.
Simmering family resentment turned public in 1995, when Jeffrey Chandler and his sister, Corinne Werdel, were quoted in Forbes magazine complaining about the liberal drift of the paper. They specifically cited The Times' coverage of "environmental racism" -- patterns of pollution in predominantly poor and minority neighborhoods -- and its coverage of gay rights and the AIDS epidemic.
"This is a mainstream paper and the homosexual population is 1% to 1.5%," Chandler said. "When you start featuring these kinds of stories the way The Times does, you think, yes, it's important to talk about AIDS. That's something society should be concerned about and solve. But, my God, you've got a campaign going on here."
There was no evidence that those complaints, or a later study commissioned by the dissident Chandlers to document their claims of liberal bias, ever bore fruit. However, the year after the Forbes article, Otis Chandler shot back, telling Vanity Fair magazine that his relatives were a bunch of "coupon clippers" and "elitists." He later claimed he had been misquoted, but the damage had been done. Otis Chandler died in 2006.
Jeffrey Chandler, known as Jeff, was born Jan. 18, 1942, in Los Angeles, the son of Philip Chandler and Alberta Williamson Chandler. He was the grandson of Harry Chandler, who married Gen. Otis' daughter and became the business dynamo behind much of The Times' early success.
Jeff Chandler grew up in Pasadena, attending Polytechnic High School and later USC.
He spent childhood summers on Balboa Island, where he developed a lifelong love of sailing. In 1995 he competed in the Transpac race from San Pedro to Hawaii in his boat Pressure Cooker.
A tribute to Chandler this week on the sailing site sailinganarchy.com called him "one of those owners who wanted to do well, but wanted to have a good time while doing it. Relaxed, fun and unpretentious, he was a great owner, decent sailor and that rare combination of grace, spirit and perspective."
In 1971, Chandler married Charlotte Nilsson, and in 1975 they moved to San Diego County after his purchase of radio station KARL-FM in Carlsbad. Chandler established Tri-Cities Broadcasting and changed the station's name, first to KKOS, then to KUPR.
He later added KCEO-AM, which was among the first stations in the country to broadcast conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh's syndicated radio show.
Chandler sold the stations in 1997. According to his family, he devoted himself to personal and family investments, real estate development in the San Diego area, and his hobby of buying and restoring hot rods.
Chandler also served as president and chief executive of Chandler Ranch Co., which was described as one of the largest avocado growers in California.
Survivors include his wife, Charlotte; a daughter, Kristina; and two brothers, Bruce and Stephen.
Services will be private.
Los Angeles Times (CA) - April 20, 2012

Obituary:
Deceased Name: CHANDLER, JEFF
January 18, 1942 to April 15, 2012 Jeff Chandler passed away peacefully on April 15, 2012, at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, surrounded by his family. He was first diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer in 1998 and had a recurrence in 2007. He waged an amazing battle against the disease, never complaining and keeping his positive attitude to the very end. Jeff thoroughly researched prostate cancer and continued to search for new treatments both in this country and abroad. Jeffrey Chandler was born January 18, 1942, in Los Angeles, California, the son of Philip Chandler and Alberta Williamson Chandler. He was the grandson of Harry Chandler, Marian Otis Chandler, Albert Warren Williamson and Inez Culp Williamson. Jeff spent his childhood in Pasadena, attending local schools, including Polytechnic and USC. He spent his summers on Balboa Island, learning to sail in a Sabot, and progressing to Endeavors, Solings and eventually Olympic 5.5's. He would continue to sail for many years, racing up and down the California coast in his boat, Pressurecooker, and in the Transpac in 1995. Jeff met his future wife, Charlotte Nilsson, in Newport Beach in 1967. They were married in his parents' Pasadena living room on March 27, 1971. Their daughter, Kristina, was born April 6, 1972, in Newport Beach. In 1975, the Chandlers moved to San Diego County when Jeff bought FM station KARL in Carlsbad, established Tri-Cities Broadcasting and changed the station's name to KKOS. After eight years of negotiations, KKOS was upgraded from 3,000 watts to 25,000 watts and renamed KUPR, giving it power throughout San Diego County and Tijuana from its transmitter on Mt. Soledad. It could be heard from Laguna Beach to the Mexican border. Jeff sold the radio stations in 1997 in order to have more time for both personal and family investments, plus giving himself time to acquire and restore Hot Rods. He loved the challenge of real estate development in the San Diego area, serving as a partner in the development of the Carlsbad Inn, the Hilton Garden in Carlsbad as well as the new development of the Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort and Spa. Jeff also served an important role on the board of the Tribune Company for seven years. He supported the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA and The Natural History Museum in San Diego as well as missionary work around the world. Jeff is survived by his wife, Charlotte, his daughter, Kristina, and his two brothers, Bruce and Stephen, and their families, as well as the family of his late sister, Corinne Chandler Werdel. A private memorial service will be held Tuesday, April 24, 2012, at Nativity Catholic Church.
U-T San Diego (CA) - April 20, 2012

Inscription

Chandler
Jeffrey
Beloved Husband & Father
1942 - 2012

Vaya Con Dios



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  • Created by: William Nees
  • Added: May 29, 2012
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/90976064/jeffrey-chandler: accessed ), memorial page for Jeffrey “Jeff” Chandler (18 Jan 1942–15 Apr 2012), Find a Grave Memorial ID 90976064, citing Mission San Luis Rey Cemetery, Oceanside, San Diego County, California, USA; Maintained by William Nees (contributor 39311733).