By ANNA MINICUCCI
The world of fly fishing has lost a person who brought dignity, a courtly and modest demeanor and expertise.
Leon Chandler was known for his generosity to beginner fly fishers for whom he offered his time and knowledge in order to sustain and promote fly fishing. When he retired from Cortland Line Company, he embarked upon an odyssey of fly fishing trips across the country in his recreational vehicle, which he custom outfitted for the trips.
We were honored that he asked us for suggestions about rod holders and other ways to safely and comfortably carry his fly rods. At that time, we had owned a LeSharo Winnebago and traveled often in it through all of New England on our own fishing treks. Our acquaintance with Chandler was a prize we treasured, and he never treated us in any way but as friends, and for that we're forever grateful and honored.
J. Leon Chandler of Homer, New York, who was widely hailed as "fly fishing's ambassador to the world," passed away last week at 81 years of age. Leon was a retired vice president of the Cortland Line Company, having spent 51 years there. Chandler, affectionately known as Leon to just about everyone that met him, was born on a small 80-acre farm in the southwest corner of the state of Missouri.
After graduating from high school, he spent a year at a business college in Springfield, Missouri. From there he traveled to Cortland, NY, to visit a relative and seek employment. Within a very short time, Leon found himself being hired by the Cortland Line Company in the accounting department. He was hired just a few days after Pearl Harbor.
Working at the Cortland Line Company was Leon's first exposure to fly fishing. Within a few years, Leon's career was interrupted for two years while he spent time in New Guinea and the Philippines with the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Leon returned to Cortland in 1945 and by 1949 was working in the Sales Department. During this time participation in sports shows around the country became an important aspect of effectively marketing fishing tackle — and Leon had to be there.
From there Leon became involved in making 16mm fly fishing films that were widely shown by rod and gun clubs around the country. During the 1960s and "70s, Leon became so well known that he was asked by the U.S. Department of Commerce to travel internationally to promote the sport he loved so much, fly fishing.
Leon continued to demonstrate and teach angling skills worldwide through the "70s and "80s. He made repeated trips overseas to many destinations worldwide, including Finland, Poland, Hungary and Germany. Japan was where he found his greatest following and is where his name quickly became synonymous with the sport.
Chandler was national president of Trout Unlimited for two years, spent 22 years as an at-large National Director of TU, and served as national president of AFTMA for two years. He is also credited with playing a key role in the development of the fly line rating system that has been in use for the past 40 years.
He frequently told people that he thought he was one of the luckiest men alive, being able to spend most of a lifetime involved in manufacturing, selling and using fishing tackle products that only give pleasure to people. Leon was once quoted as saying, "I can't help but feel a bit sorry for those who have never fished with a fly rod.
Chandler died on March 18, 2004, in Kirkland, Washington. Mr. Chandler was born in Missouri on May 14, 1922, and migrated to Cortland at the age of 19 where he went to work for the Cortland Line Company. After serving in the U.S. Army attached to General Douglas MacArthur, he returned to Cortland, where he continued his employment at the Cortland Line Company working his way up to executive vice president in charge of sales.
Leon's passion was always fly fishing, and his love of the sport took him around the world where he was a driving force in bringing fly fishing to countries where it scarcely existed. Under the sponsorship of the U.S. State and Commerce Departments, he demonstrated American fishing tackle and techniques at Trade Fair exhibits in Finland, behind the Iron Curtin in Poland, Hungary, Germany and the former U.S.S.R. He is credited with bringing fly-fishing to Japan in the early "70s. Before his first visit, there were only about 300 flyfishermen in Japan. Today there are nearly a half million.
He spent 22 years on the National Trout Unlimited Board of Directors and served as national president for two years. In 1988 he was inducted into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame as a legendary angler. After working for the Cortland Line Company for over 50 years and retiring in 1992, he traveled around the U.S. in his motor home doing the two things he loved best: fishing and meeting people. During trout season, he could frequently be found on his favorite Catskills Mountain streams or roaming around Montana, Idaho or Wyoming enjoying the sport that played such a dominant role in his life for so many years.
Given the unofficial title of "The American Ambassador of Fly Fishing," Leon Chandler was highly regarded around the world for his mild, softspoken manner and his knowledge of the sport. His life was aptly summed up by long-time friend and fishing partner Lefty Kreh when he said, "I never heard anyone say anything bad about Leon Chandler."
His wife, Margaret, preceded him in death in 1987. He is survived by his two sons, Kim Chandler of Kirkland, WA, Jeff Chandler of Parker, CO, and two grandsons, Benjamin Chandler and Stephen Chandler. Remembrances may be made to the Leon Chandler Chapter of Trout Unlimited c/o Niles Brown, 137 Crooked Lake Rd., Tully, NY 13159. A memorial celebration will be held at SUNY Cortland on April 27 at 7 p.m. The memorial will be held in the Fay Corey Union Building in the Function Room.
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