Trevor L Chandler - ForeverMissed.com Online Memorials

Let the memory of Trevor be with us forever.

Dr. Trevor L. Chandler

Trevor L. Chandler, 89, died peacefully in his home in Antelope, California on May 16, 2020, of complications from a stroke. His partner of many years, Angelia Bartholomew, and his niece Charlene Christian were by his side.

Trevor was born on March 2, 1931, in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, to his parents Evelyn Bailey and Fitz-Roy Chandler (Pharmacist). He was raised by his mother and grew up with an extended family that includes the Baileys and the Findlays. He was the longest surviving of his generation having outlived his nine siblings. Trevor emigrated to the United States as a young man in July 1962.

After graduation from high school, he went on to the local teacher’s college for his teaching credential and taught elementary school until he migrated to the United States to continue his education. In 1966, he received a Bachelor of Science from California Polytechnic State University, followed by a Masters Degree in Political Science at the University of Oregon in 1968 and a PH. D in Political Science in 1970 from the University of Oregon.

Trevor has had a long and distinguished career in higher education. He served in several positions at the University of Washington from 1970-1990. He was an Assistant Professor and lecturer in the Department of Political Science and was later appointed Associate Dean, Graduate Student Services and Minority Education. He was Dean-in-Residence, Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), One DuPont Circle, N.W, Washington D.C. for the year 1987-88.

In 1990, Trevor moved to Davis, California when he took the position of Assistant Vice Chancellor for Campus Diversity. He oversaw programs to further the campus’ commitment to diversity within the faculty, staff, and students. He promoted the inclusion of ethnic minorities and women in all aspects of campus life. As a result of his efforts on the Davis campus, he was recruited to the position of Executive Director, Academic Affirmative Action and Diversity at the Office of the President of the University of California to work with these efforts across all campuses. He worked with campus leaders across the system to ensure that all campuses were supported in their recruitment efforts and to foster a climate that nurtured all aspects of diversity.

Trevor served on many committees, both within California and at the national level. A few of these included the National Name Exchange from 1982-83, the Graduate Record Examination Board from 1983-86, the Dorothy Danforth-Compton Fellowship NationalAdvisory Committee, and was President/Co-Founder of OPENMIND from 1991-93.
He served on the Board of Directors of USE Credit Union from 1995-2007.

He received numerous grants to support programs in higher education from the Department of Education 1980-1990 Graduate Fellowships Program ($925,300), Dorothy Danforth Compton Fellows 1980-1990 Danforth Foundation ($1,159,000), and Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Security Pacific Bank Endowments ($700,000). He wrote many papers and reports in support of these programs and was a keynote speaker at numerous conferences and programs.

Trevor retired from the University of California Office of the President in 1999. In retirement, he lived in Natomas, California for two years and then he moved to Irvine California to enjoy the sunshine and the beaches. He returned to Northern, California in 2008 and bought a home in Antelope to be closer to his niece and to friends in Davis.

Even in retirement, Trevor continued to make valuable contributions. He was a consultant to a Migrant Seasonal Head Start Program (MSHS) in Oregon from 2010 to 2016. He was instrumental in the development of an apprenticeship program for individuals interested in advancing their careers in Head Start programs. His philosophy of creating an environment of support to ensure success, which he had championed with graduate students at the University of WA was adapted for application to early childhood settings. The apprenticeship model he promoted was not only successful in MSHS programs but has been adopted by other Head Start programs in Oregon.

Trevor lived a long and full life. For most of his life, he kept physically fit by running daily and participating in numerous marathon races in Seattle, Oregon, Southern California, and New York. He was also an avid gym participant, especially when he couldn’t get out of doors. He visited Trinidad almost every year for Carnival festivities, as well as to visit his mother, other family members, and friends. Trevor loved cars and for most of his life in the US, he owned at least two! When questioned by anyone, why he needed two cars, he would say, “This is not a dress rehearsal! Cars are my passion.” He enjoyed listening to jazz music and attended both the Monterey Jazz and the Sacramento Jazz Festivals repeatedly. For many years, he also enjoyed the wild times at The Burning Man festival in Nevada.

He was preceded in death by his father, mother, and siblings. He is survived by his daughter Zena Geddes (El Cajon, CA), his daughter Carol Turner (Houston, TX), his companion Angelia Bartholomew (Antelope, CA), and his niece Charlene Christian (Antelope, CA). Trevor is also remembered by his grandchildren Shari Williams(Kevin), great-grandchildren Sydney and Kennedy, grandnieces Jordan and Michaela, and grandnephew Stephen. In Trinidad and Tobago, he leaves cousins Lystra Findlay, Oswin Findlay, Theodore Findlay, Tyrone Findlay, Junior Caesar, Roger Caesar, Ann Philmore, and others.

He gratefully held many among his closest friends including Mrs. Hope Pressman and her children, who provided a home for him in Eugene, Oregon while he attended graduate school. Friends across the US include Dominic Newsome (Vacaville, CA), Shelley Duckart (Vacaville, CA), Allison Gregory (Liberty Lake, WA), Jennifer Olson (Salem, OR), Marlene Johnson and Helen “Cookie” Smiler (Oakland, CA), Yvonne Marsh (Davis, CA), Joyce Justus (Santa Cruz, CA), Janet Hamilton (Davis, CA), John O. & Sandra M. Stewart (Davis, CA), Carol Kurtz (Davis, CA), Hardy Frye (Oakland, CA), neighbor Johnny Hall (Antelope, CA) and numerous other friends from across the University of California campuses and Office of the President.

No services are planned at this time. Charitable contributions are encouraged to the Michael J Fox Foundation, or to the University of California Foundations at UCOP or UC Davis Graduate Studies in support of graduate students.

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August 9, 2023

I want to honor and thank Trevor because he truly changed the trajectory of my life in an incredibly powerful way. Just a conversation at the UCD coffee house in the early 90s followed by many prompts of "I'm sending you to Seattle to study Biostatistics". Because of him I shot for the stars and realized my full potential. I didn't fully realize what he did for me back then. Now more than 30 years later I fully understand. I am so grateful to him and wish I only could have expressed this to him in person.

April 1, 2021

I was friends with Trevor in graduate school at the University of Oregon during the 1965-68 period. We shared an interest in jazz and often listened to music together in those years. He came to our house at 1790 Moss St. in Eugene and we shared many hours of conversation. I had lost contact with him years ago but recall last seeing him at a regional political science meeting in Portland or Seattle in about 1972. I wish I had kept in touch. He always brought a special joy to our time together that has always stayed with me over the years.

May 27, 2020

A favorite phrase by Trevor on how he chose to live his life was "This is not a dress rehearsal!"

I first met Trevor in March of 1990. He had recently come to UCDavis, and I was walking across the quad towards Mark Hall. He stopped me, and we struck up a friendship that lasted 30 years. Since then, we remained in contact, if not in person definitely by phone. For years, he was my neighbor, so we would drop by one another’s home at any time, My fondest memories were of the phone calls from Trevor at the beginning of a month greeting me, “Happy ‘June’, Marsh” -using my last name as a pet name which I have learned was how he greeted many of his friends! He also would call on birthdays, special holidays or, frequently for “a voice check”.

My mother became a special friend. She was very fond of him. They shared many cultural values due to their upbringing in the West Indies - she was from Jamaica. Trevor called her “Brooks” - yes, her last name! When she collapsed one morning at my home, Trevor came immediately when I called. He and my mother’s best friend Micheline were with me when she died at Sutter Davis Hospital. She, too, was 89 upon her death 21 years ago. Both lived full and long lives.

My only regret is that I didn’t get him to go with me to Jamaica, nor did I get to go to Carnival with him!

Goodbye, Friend.

May 21, 2020

I was so sorry to see that Trevor had passed away. I remember him fondly from his time in Academic Affairs at UC Davis. He always had a smile and kind word for all. I will always remember him as a kind-hearted person. He was a good man.

May 18, 2020

'Tis all a Chequer-board of Nights and Days
Where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays:
Hither and thither moves, and mates, and slays,
And one by one back in the Closet lays.
[Omar Khayyam]

Trevor lived a long and fruitful life.
May he rest in peace.

Henry & Melba Riley

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An Unexpected Father and a Very Brave Man

May 29, 2020

On Friday morning, October 9th, 1981 Trevor’s daughter, Zana Jean Geddes, was born in Seattle. And even though this was an unexpected event for him at the age of 51, he took his responsibilities seriously. He contributed to her support, bought her bedroom furniture and school clothes and supplies as she grew older.

Trevor would take Zana for day trips when she was a little girl and then overnight stays as she got older. They frequently had ice cream from the Hagen Daz Ice Cream store at Green Lake in Seattle. They both loved Macadamia Nut ice cream. In fact his daughter is like him in many ways. She has a positive outlook on life and full of confidence and has always been able to engage with people from a very early age. And she is still that way today as an adult.

One of my best memories of Trevor and Zana is when he took her to Trinidad for Carnival when she was 2 years old!!! Though I am not sure he totally understood the challenges that he would face travelling on a long airplane trip with a child of two, let alone taking care of her hair! For example, he gave her a carbonated beverage while on the flight and since she had never had pop before it didn’t go well because back up it came.

Trevor took Zana to Trinidad to meet her Grandmother Evelyn and other family members. They had a great time during their trip and both lived to tell about it afterwards. But I think the trauma was too much for Trevor as he never took her back for another visit. Which is too bad because when she was older she would have been a much better and easy going traveling companion. And she would have enjoyed the experience and memories. Thus, for me he was very brave to undertake such a trip with his young daughter!

Trevor and Zana were not close as time went by and that is too bad. I think they both thought that some day that would happen. But as the years passed they just ran out of time.

Farewell to my neighbor

May 28, 2020

I met Trevor for the very first time in 2008 when he moved into the house across the street from me in Antelope. We immediately got acquainted and had many conversations over the years. Our favorite topics were political issues because we were both concerned about the role the government play in the welfare of people in the U.S.A. and globally. We bonded over our higher education and similar work experiences which made it easier to discuss current issues. We would sit in our garages and have good conversations.

The most memorable conversations were about when it was time to catch the A bus uptown. This was a no-return bus; it was your last bus ride. The sign would read, "up-town, no return trip". No one looked forward to boarding the A bus. TLC has finally stepped aboard the A bus heading uptown. No one knows how far the ride is, but we hope that it is a quiet and peaceful one. Ride on TLC, enjoy your ride!!

Rest in peace!

~ Johnnie Hall

Namesake

May 21, 2020

My recollection of Trevor is that he was a fun guy with a twinkle in his eye. He loved his little blue Mercedes and had a very close friendship with our family, especially mom. He was part of our extended family and like a brother to me. Trevor had a presence wherever he went. Trevor made such a favorable impression on me that my son is named Trevor. Can’t give any higher accolades than that!!

Best wishes to Trevor in his next journey.

~ Mark Pressman

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