George J Chandler

George John Ursaki Chandler, age 84, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, beloved husband of Sunshine (Susanne) Hong Chandler, passed away on June 25, 2015 in Presbyterian Rust Medical Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico with his loving family by his side. George was born in Bridgeport on November 3, 1930 to the late Onufri and Bronislawa Steinbach Ursaki. A proud veteran of the Korean War, George served honorably in the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman (Physician's Assistant) from November 5, 1947 through October 30, 1951. After his discharge from the Navy, George aka George Chandler worked at temporary odd jobs until he obtained work as an overhead crane operator for the Bullard Company for 5 years. Based upon his Naval experience he obtained a Merchant Mariner's Document from the US Coastal Guard and sailed the Atlantic Ocean several times to European Ports and back to New York as a Yeoman/Storekeeper to gain sufficient savings to return to college. Only after working as a General Clerk in Iceland for close to one year with the US Army Corps of Engineers did George realize the necessary funds to continue his studies and graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1963 majoring in Sociology, the German language and Secondary Education. He was awarded a Woodrow Wilson National Foundation Fellowship and went on to Washington University Graduate School in St. Louis, Missouri in 1963/1964. With a teacher's certificate granted from the State of New Jersey, Mr. Ursaki taught Modern European Social and Economic Histories successfully in Woodbury, New Jersey for one year. However, with Federal Employment history of over seven years earned from previous employments with the Federal Government, George applied for and obtained employment with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Philadelphia in 1965 as a recruiter and staffing specialist. He then enjoyed a lifelong career working for the Departments of the Army and Navy offices of the US Government interviewing college and university seniors for professional civilian government positions worldwide. He retired from the US Naval Station, Moffett Field, California in 1992. George was a survivor of the sinking of the USS Benevolence A H13 in a collision with the freighter SS Mary Luckenbach in the Pacific Ocean off San Francisco on August 25, 1950 where 24 lives were lost. He was known for his love of family, his compassionate hospitality to all and his sharp wit. George will be remembered as a generous and loving husband. In addition to his beloved wife, Sunshine, of 40 years, George is also survived by several loving nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, friends and others. George was predeceased by his four siblings, in the same order they came into this world, Genevieve, Mary, Walter and Anna.

Graveside services will be held on Thursday July 2, 2015 at 1:00 PM in Mountain Grove Cemetery Bridgeport, follow sign number 1, with Military Honors. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Galello-Luchansky Funeral Home 2220 Main Street Stratford. Those who so desire may contribute to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, P.O. Box 5028, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5028 .

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