Clarence “Allen” Chandler III, age 75, went home to be with the Lord on August 24, 2025, following a courageous battle with ALS.
Allen was born on April 28, 1950, in Sanderson, Texas, to Clarence Allen Chandler Jr. and Pattijean Sansom. The oldest of six children, he grew up alongside his sister, Mary Nell, and four brothers: Leslie Hal, Carl Ross, Billye Michael, and Terry Wayne. His childhood was spent crisscrossing Texas before the family eventually returned to Junction where Allen graduated from high school in 1968. A proud Junction Eagle, he passed down his school spirit to his daughters, always reminding them to end their cheers with “Beat Menard.”
After starting college at Tarleton State University, Allen completed his degree at Sul Ross State University with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural business. It was at Sul Ross that he met a young barrel racer, Terry Gray. They married on January 29, 1972, marking the beginning of a lifelong partnership that spanned nearly five decades.
Early in their marriage, Allen and Terry made their home in various corners of Texas, with Allen working on ranches in Rocksprings, Blanco, Marfa, Alpine, Fort Davis and Presidio. Later in his career, he continued covering ground, this time supporting road and bridge departments in Brewster and Medina counties. Much of that time was spent in Alpine, where their daughters, Lee and Cameron, were born and raised. After the girls left home, Allen and Terry headed east on a new adventure, eventually settling in Castroville.
Allen loved the cowboy life, a life rooted in the values of a bygone era: grit, grace, and an enduring bond with the land and animals he cared for. From San Antonio to El Paso, he carved out a living in the rugged beauty of Texas, never far from the sky, the cattle or a good story (some truer than others). His friendships ran deep, often forged over difficult times and a cup of coffee or a cold beer.
Allen was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 46 years, Terry Gray, and by his parents, Clarence and Pattijean Chandler.
He is survived by his daughters, Lee (Scott) Brewster and Cameron (Andrew) Compton; his cherished grandchildren, Alexandria, Carson, Zachary, and Chandler; his sister, Mary Nell Burleson; his brothers, Leslie, Carl, Billye, and Wayne Chandler; and his “adopted daughter,” Lizette Specht.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Sul Ross State University ANRS & Rodeo Exes Association: www.sulrossexes.org. Arrangements by Tondre-Guinn Funeral Home, www.tondre-guinn.com.