Robert "Lee" Chandler 4/3/1934 - 6/8/2024

Robert "Lee" Chandler, 90, of Auburn, California passed away peacefully June 8, 2024, during his Saturday afternoon nap. Known on the road as "The Bumblebee", Lee will be remembered for his insatiable desire to get to where he needed to be as fast as possible. He was a devoted Christian and a family man with high moral integrity, quick wit and clear values. A career truck driver, his last road haul was through the gates of heaven where he met his sweetheart of 65 years, Doris Ann, who passed away April 2, 2024. Born in Auburn, California on April 3, 1934, Lee was the son of Conan Royce Chandler and Loretta Belle (Kuykendall) Chandler. He grew up in Newcastle and learned to work early as his father died when he was 14. With money earned loading fruit in the Newcastle sheds and fueling trucks at the Highway 40 fuel station in Ophir, Lee was soon on the road with his first car at 16. After graduating Placer High School in 1952, Lee stepped into his first truck hauling logs for Robinson Timber and later Cal-Ida. In 1956 he took a job driving for Harrington Logging and promptly fell in love with the boss's daughter, Doris Harrington, who was still in high school. His buddies didn't think he had a chance with her, but in June,1957, just before she graduated and he left for his drafted service to the army, the couple became engaged. Lee spent his two years of service in Germany where he was an officer's driver and when he returned in 1959, he and Doris married on Valentine's Day. Lee continued driving for Harrington Logging while Doris completed her college education and became a schoolteacher. Although they sadly grieved the loss of their first son, Mark, who died shortly after birth in 1960, a second son, Robert, was born to them in 1962. Five years later they were especially blessed to adopt a third son, Jeffrey. When Doris' father closed the company in 1987, Lee bought his own logging truck and painted "Chandler" on the door. He hauled for Wentworth and later Van Bebber. He finished his driving career for Jim Dobbas hauling equipment to and from train wrecks and railroad projects. Lee enjoyed bowling in the Auburn leagues and was known for his high average. He often bowled perfect games and took the trophy in tournaments. A basketball player himself in high school, he was proud of the athletes in the family and on weekday evenings a logging truck was often seen parked beside a stadium where Lee was watching his sons and grandsons compete. He also enjoyed helping Doris out at school through the years and in retirement was happy to do yard duty at Skyridge School. Like Doris, Lee enjoyed traveling. He made a special trip to Peru to meet a sponsored child, revisited Germany and trekked to New Zealand. Lee is survived by son Robert Chandler (Lynn), Rocklin, CA; son Jeffrey Chandler, Myrtle Creek, OR; five grandsons: Gabriel Chandler (Shantel), Livingston, Montana; Benjamin Chandler (Nikki), Arkadelphia, Arkansas; Scott Chandler (Kelly), Cheyenne, Wyoming; Christopher Chandler (Hannah), Myrtle Creek, Oregon; and Josiah Chandler, Rocklin, California; eight great grandchildren; and many other loved ones. A Celebration Memorial for both Lee and Doris will be on Sunday, June 30, 2024, at 12 pm at The Ridge, 2020 Golf Course Road, Auburn, CA.