Frank Lawrence "Butch" Chandler, 50 of Leonardtown, MD, died July 18, 2012 at University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. He was born in Highland, Illinois on March 1, 1962. He was the son of Frank Harry Chandler and Marilyn Ann Kuchta Chandler.

Butch was predeceased by maternal grandparents Raymond and Evelyn Kuchta and paternal grandparents Frank Edward (Bud) and Emma Chandler.

He was a Retired Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy and had been employed by the Mitre Corporation since 2004. Butch began his Naval career by enlisting on July 4, 1980. Selected and commissioned as a Limited Duty Officer in 1991, his first tour of duty as a naval officer was aboard USS Olldendorf as the Electronic Materials Officer. He was assigned to the Naval Telecommunications and Computer Station in San Diego from 1994 to 1995.

Then followed duty as the Combat Information Center Officer aboard USS Essex, and in 1999 he was selected for assignment at the White House Communications Agency where he served as the J-4 Logistics Deputy and Presidential Communications Officer from 2000 to 2003. His last active duty station was the Military Sealift Command Headquarters. He has received the Meritorious Service Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, 4 Navy commendations and 2 Navy achievement medals.

He attended California State University at Long Beach and an overseas program at Moscow State University, Russia where he completed a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (Eastern Europe/Russia concentration) with a minor in Russian language in 1996. His talent for language included competency in Russian and a working knowledge of Polish and Czech.

Upon retirement from the Navy in 2004, he joined the Mitre Corporation and provided mobile communications support for the White House Communications Agency and Airborne Electronic Warfare through the Naval Air Station Patuxent River location.

Butch grew to know and care deeply about his Southern Maryland community. Whether providing volunteer technology support to the Southern Maryland Historical Society, assisting the Sotterley Foundation or offering his expertise to many locally-owned businesses, he gave of his time and talents with his trademark generosity. He had a strong desire to contribute wherever possible.

Frank is survived by his loving wife, Katherine Barrett Stormont of Leonardtown, MD; his daughter: Katharine Elizabeth Chandler; his parents: Frank H. Chandler and Marilyn K. Chandler; and his sisters: Jennifer Rae Chandler and Amanda Beth Belisle.

The family will receive friends for Visitation on Friday July, 27, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on July 28, 2012 at Our Lady Church, Medley's Neck Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Memorial donations may be made to: Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

Arrangements provided by Brinsfield Funeral Home.