Willa J. “Woochie” Chandler passed away the morning of Sunday, August 17, 2025, surrounded by her family. Willa was born at home in Evansville on March 25, 1934, to Lester and Clara Osborne-Meece. She married the love of her life, Wade Y. Chandler, Jr., on December 25, 1951. Willa graduated from Luce Township High School in 1953.
Willa worked in the medical field as a nurse’s aide at Miller’s Mary Manor, an ortho technician at St. Mary’s Hospital and then an EMT for the Indiana-Michigan Power Plant. Once retired, Willa sat with the elderly and took care of them in their homes.
At the age of 16, Willa played travel softball on a local area girls softball team. Her love of softball continued throughout her life. She loved watching Indiana Men’s and Women’s basketball. She shared the love of IU basketball with her kids and grandkids.
Willa loved singing since she was young, and she loved playing the guitar. At 18, Willa, her sister, Shirley, and brother, Joe formed a gospel group called Joe and the Meece Sisters. The band regrouped and added Willa’s sister, Mary Lou and a family friend and called themselves, The Country Gospel Singers. She loved singing at church, with friends and family and random strangers in grocery stores and restaurants!
To know Willa was to love her! She was fun and goofy, spunky and sassy (she could give a mean eyeroll). She loved spending time with her family and friends, whether going to yard sales, the Goodwill, the Dollar Store, playing cards (she was a cut-throat rummy player) or sitting around singing – she loved life and lived it to the fullest.
Willa was a member of Southside Baptist Church and attended New Hope Baptist Church where her son, Randy is pastor. Willa loved Jesus and used her singing to minister the Gospel to anyone who would listen.
Willa was proceeded in death by her husband, Wade Y. Chandler, Jr.; son, Kenneth Scott; and granddaughter, Eldena Sapp.
Willa is survived by her two sons, Randy Chandler (Belynnda) and Christopher Chandler (Sandra), and two daughters, Sheryle Knight (Michael) and Tracy Chandler; five grandchildren, Russell Chandler (Christy), Me’Chele Fuller (Brad), Mindy Dill (Juan), Caytee Dewey (Dylan) and Anna Grace Chandler; seven great-grandchildren, Richard Olsen, Keith Olsen (Courtney), Katelynn Evans (Justin), Jordan Fuller, Justin Dill, Gavin Chandler and Jacob Fuller; and two sisters, Shirley Sizemore and Mary Lou Mitchell.
The family would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support. A special thanks to Dr. Susan Martin and Staff, Deaconess Gateway ICU Staff, Heart to Heart Hospice, and Jeff and Laurie Freeman for their love, help and support.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 12 p.m., Saturday, August 23, at Boultinghouse Funeral Home at 527 Main Street, Rockport, with Pastor Brad Fuller officiating and burial to follow in Ebenezer Cemetery in Richland, with Rev. Randy Chandler officiating. Family and friends may visit on Saturday, August 23, from 10 a.m. until service time.
