Benjamin Matthew Chandler

Benjamin Matthew Chandler, 29, of Redondo Beach, CA, passed away January 1, 2009 in Las Cruces, NM. He was born December 20, 1979 in Farmington, NM. He graduated from Farmington High School in 1998. He attended college and graduate school at New Mexico State University, majoring in mechanical engineering. He was a member of the Eta Chi chapter of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity as well as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He moved to Phoenix, AZ in 2005 and worked for Belcan Engineering. In 2006 he took a job with Honeywell Corporation in Torrance, CA, where he was employed at the time of his death. While attending NMSU Ben was part of a team of mechanical engineering students who designed and built a fishing rod allowing quadriplegics to accurately cast and reel a lure. They won their regional competition in Flagstaff, AZ and competed in the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) Congress Student Design Contest in New York City in November of 2001. In graduate school he participated in the ASME Mini Baja competition in Logan, UT, where he and his team designed and built an off-road vehicle and raced it against other prestigious engineering schools from around the country. Ben enjoyed camping, hiking, skiing and snow boarding. During his last semester in graduate school he took a brewing science class. He loved to brew beer for his friends, grill them a steak and make homemade ice cream. When the Phoenix heat forced him inside he took up the guitar. After the move to California he became a certified scuba diver. Ben was also an avid reader and had an extensive collection of classic literature. Ben enjoyed all kinds of projects and helped his parents do bathroom remodels, tackling plumbing, electrical and tiling. Ben also enjoyed woodworking and had built several pieces of furniture. He is survived by his parents, Larry and Joan Chandler of Farmington, brother David and wife Jennifer and nephew Sean Matthew of Las Cruces, NM. He is also survived by paternal grandmother Alene Garrett of Bowie, TX, uncles James Kannard and wife Barbara of Longview, TX, Thomas Kannard and wife Martha of Bloomfield, Richard Kannard and wife Madella of Farmington, aunts Glenda Roth and husband Waldo of Bowie, TX, Susan Burton and husband Lewis, of Butte, MT, and Deborah Garrett of Ft. Worth, TX. A celebration of Benjamin's life will be Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. at Brewer, Lee and Larkin Funeral Home with Reverend Steve Carrington offiiciating. Benjamin will then be laid to rest near his grandparents at Memory Gardens Cemetery of Farmington. Pallbearers are Jesse Kannard, Robert Kannard, Daniel Kannard, Jacob Attaway, Kevin Woolfolk, and Andy Johns. Honorary pallbearers are David Jones, Dennis May, Tom Seay, Brian Thompson, Rollie Wright, and the bothers of the Eta Chi chapter of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Ben's name to the scholarship fund of the College of Mechanical Engineering of NMSU. PO Box 30001 MSC 3450, Las Cruces, NM 88003-3450 (575) 646-3501 Benjamin's services are entrusted to Brewer, Lee and Larkin Funeral Home 103 East Ute St. Farmington, NM 87401 (505) 325-8688