Chandler, Maria Planes: age 79 (born November 12, 1943) passed away with her family at home on November 5th after over a 2-year battle with ovarian cancer. She is survived by her loving husband, Russ Chandler; her three daughters Stephanie Maistrellis, Christina (Mike) Broxterman, Alex (Jeff) Woolverton; her three step daughters: Ashley (Ben) Chang, Alexzandra Chandler, Whitney Chandler and her six grandchildren: Will, Sophia, Evangelia (Ava) and Michael John Broxterman; Ella and Demi Woolverton.
Born in New York City to Peter and Catherine Planes, she was raised in Coral Gables, Florida; graduated from Florida State University (where she was a Pi Beta Phi) in 1965; and, obtained a master’s degree from Boston College in 1967. Remarkably, while raising 3 young kids, she pursued and obtained a law degree from Stetson University in 1980, even being selected for the Law Review. Passing the Florida bar on her first attempt, she began her practice in commercial real estate law and closed many large commercial real estate transactions in the State of Florida. She continued in that specialty after she relocated to Atlanta in 2000 (passing the Georgia bar exam, despite 20 years after her course work) and retired in 2008. Her clients considered her very tenacious as she had an innate ability to focus on every important contract detail.
She was a wonderful mother for not only her own daughters but also for Russ’s girls and a fabulous Yia Yia (Greek for grandmother) for all of the six grandkids, whom she loved dearly. She enjoyed travel, hiking, decorating, gardening, golf (which she took up at age 66) and fly fishing. The last few years have been difficult on her has she has been unable to spend time with the many friends that she has loved so dearly. She was a true warrior throughout her cancer fight; enduring 5 different chemo regimens with over 20 3–4-hour infusions, eight hours of surgery, over 80 days in the hospital and she was the first patient to undergo an innovative and promising cell therapy utilizing reengineered Natural Killer cells. We are hopeful that the groundwork she laid will aid other women in the fight against this awful disease She loved people and had an amazing ability to empathize with anyone and everyone. Russ labeled her “Sister Maria” as even strangers would confide in her and seek her counsel. Her deep faith in Jesus gives us all comfort that she is now at peace with Him. She is deeply loved by many, and will be greatly missed.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 pm on Thursday November 9th at HM Patterson funeral home 173 Allen Rd, Sandy Springs.
Funeral services to be held at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation, 2500 Clairmont Rd, Atlanta, 10:00 am Friday November 10th; followed by burial at Arlington Memorial Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to MD Anderson Cancer Center (for ovarian research).
