Donnie Frank Chandler, 71, passed away on October 24, 2026.
He was born to Orland E. Chandler and Burneice Fay White on September 22, 1955, with a fiery shock of red hair. Young Donnie found his fun exploring the outdoors and playing with creatures of all sizes; this sense of curiosity would come to define him as a person. He graduated from Louisville High School then sought out adventure--from surviving eleven grueling years on an oil rig, to working as a bouncer in a New Orleans club. After receiving B.A.'s in archeology, anthropology, and computer science at Mississippi State University, he travelled the world which led to him meeting the love of his life, Mei Qiang. They married in China, moved back to Mississippi, and had a daughter. His family filled up the biggest space of his heart.
The second biggest space was claimed by rocks. Big rocks, small rocks, gritty rocks, sparkling rocks. Donnie was always an artist, having painted and sketched as a hobby for years, but discovering rockhounding opened the world to him in a brand new way--it combined his love of digging in the dirt with his penchant for creating beautiful things. He joined the Mississippi Gem and Mineral Society and became an avid and longstanding member, working almost every annual exhibition and participating in the push to officially recognize Mississippi's own state gem, the Mississippi Opal. He lived for his trips to mountains and quarries, filling his truck bed with buckets of stones then transforming those stones into jewelry to gift to his wife and daughter (and family, and his wife's family, and friends, and his daughter's friends).
In his retired life, Donnie began showcasing his work at craft shows. His days were spent sitting on the banks of the Ross Barnett Reservoir or the porch of Martin's in Jackson, carefully twisting wires into trees and threading beads into bracelets. He drove to all corners of the southeast with his truck full of wares to set up shop, dole out his homemade apple frybread, and make as many new friends as he possibly could. And when he wasn't crafting or chatting, he enjoyed his family; whether near or far, the Qiang-Chandler group chat was always filled with endless laughter and "Goodnight, loves!!" to spare.
Donnie left his mark on so many people. He is remembered fondly for his bright smile, signature floppy hat, and jingling pocket full of stones to share--an image of a spirited man bursting with joy and heart. We will miss him so, so terribly, but what an honor it has been to experience this storied life with him.
He is preceded in death by his father, Orland; his mother, Burneice; and his sister, Dixie. He is succeeded by his wife, Mei, and daughter Sherlee.
A memorial service will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery in Louisville, Mississippi on Thursday, October 29th, at 2:00 P.M. with Bro. Danny Cheatham officiating. In lieu of flowers, please send any donations to the Mississippi Gem and Mineral Society, (www.missgems.org).
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