H. Karl Chandler, 82 of Oneonta, who rose to lead the Troop C Major Crimes Division in 38 years with the state police, died peacefully at home on July 10, 2019, after a nine-year battle of cancer.

Senior investigator in the case of Ricky Parisian, the state trooper shot during a 1993 holdup in a Southside supermarket, Karl was born on Jan. 17, 1937, in Sayre, Pa., to Wilber Chandler and Alberta VanGorder Chandler.

He graduated from Athens (Pa.) Central School, where he was a three-sport athlete, participating in baseball, basketball and football. At 10 years old, Karl hit a home run at the Williamsport Little League World Series.

Karl reported to Troop C, New York State Troopers in Sidney, on May 22, 1958. On July 7, 1966, Trooper H.K. Chandler was reassigned as investigator in the Bureau of Criminal Investigation at Troop C. On Sept. 25, 1978 was promoted to senior investigation and head of the Major Crimes Division until his retirement on Dec. 7, 1996. Karl served state police for 38 yearss. His first love was to the state police, never wanting to take vacation because he loved what he did.

Karl married Gloria VanVranken Chandler on March 31, 1999 at the Otsego County Courthouse, Cooperstown, where they first met.

His pastimes were playing golf and traveling to Civil War battlefields all over the United States. Karl especially enjoyed Gettysburg and would visit at least twice a year, if not more.

His travels also took him to many sports activities for Emilee, Kelsey and Kyle.

Karl is survived by his wife, Gloria, his step-daughter; Lisa (Jeremy) Harvey, Burlington Flats; his grandchildren, Emilee VanDewerker (Braden Jaquay), New Berlin, Kelsey King, Burlington Flats, and Kyle King, formerly of Burlington Flats and now Lewiston, Idaho; and niece Lynn (Gregg) Baulch, Burlington Flats.

He is further survived by brothers and sisters-in-law, Charles and Shirley Milbert, Delmar, Thomas and Joanne Slentz, Burlington Flats, James and Christine Hickling, Pleasant Brook, and Carroll and Bettina Munson, Bluffton, S.C., together with many nieces and nephews.

Also surviving is son, Sheridan (Lisa) Chandler of Horseheads, and grandchildren, Josh and Jessica and their families.

Karl was predeceased by his father and mother, brother William Chandler, sister Sharon Chandler Cole, and brother-in-law Harold Cole.

Special thank you to Carlos Bermejo, MD for always being there for us for nine years. We couldn’t have gotten through this without him. Thank you Timothy P. Korytko, MD and his staff at the Fox Care Center. Thank you to all the nurses and personnel staff from Hospice to guide us through these final weeks.

For more on this story and funeral information visit our publishing partner at AllOtsego.com

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