Obituary of Sarita Chandler

Sarita Margaret (Hooker) Chandler, widow of Clarence A. Chandler, departed this life on Thursday, March 1, 2012 at Good Samaritan Society in Goodland, Kansas. The third child of Richard H. and Anna I. (Weir) Hooker, Sarita was born June 21, 1914 on her parent’s homestead twelve miles south of Otis, Colorado. She received her formal education at the Victor School in Washington County, Colorado, graduating from the 8th grade in 1928. She attended High Prairie High School, twenty-five miles from her home, with her brothers Clarence and Lawrence. Sarita left school in 1929 when her brothers took employment working in the sugar beet fields and she no longer had transportation to and from the high school. Sarita’s first paid job was helping a neighbor slaughter and dress ducks. In 1932 she accepted employment as a caregiver for an elderly woman in the northwest Denver area. In 1934 she returned to her parents’ farm south of Otis to care for her ill mother. Following her mother’s recovery, Sarita was employed as a mother’s helper and housekeeper for Mrs. Ray Dalton of Otis. April 11, 1942 Sarita married Clarence Aaron Chandler in Goodland, Kansas. To this loving marriage was born one daughter, Judy Darlene, and one son, Dennis Aaron. Clarence and Sarita made their home on the Rell Morrow Ranch northeast of Burlington in Kit Carson County. In the fall of 1978 they retired from farming and ranching and moved to their home in Burlington. During the years that followed, Sarita filled her life loving and caring for her family, gardening, babysitting for the Young Mothers of Burlington, and taking short trips with Clarence to visit friends and family or go fishing. A devout Christian, Sarita will be remembered as a loving mother and grandmother. Her greatest joy was her family. She cherished every moment she spent with her children and grandchildren. Sarita was a talented homemaker. She enjoyed gardening, embroidery and handiwork of all kinds. She was especially interested in gathering information about her ancestors and preserving the precious memories of her family. Preceding her in death are her husband, Clarence; infant granddaughter, Crissine Joy Rico; her parents; brothers − Clarence Robert Hooker, Lawrence Woodrow Hooker, Wilson Weir Hooker, Robert Winfield Hooker and Nile Everett Hooker; and sisters, Wilma Fern Spangler and Clara June Spears. Mourning her passing are her daughter, Judy (Harold) Rico of Burlington; her son Dennis (Susan) Chandler of Snowflake, Arizona; her grandchildren, Jannon and Cale Rico, of Burlington; Julia (Brian) Buell and three great-grandchildren, Eric, Kaitlin, and Seth Buell of Layton, Utah. She is also survived by her sister, Thelma Parker of Walden, Colorado and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.