In Memory of Bob Chancellor

"It is appropriate that I write my own obituary, as that was my first job as a journalist."  This must be the first deadline Bob ever missed, but we have the lead he wanted.

Robert (Bob) Tearle Chancellor, age 81, died on Friday September 22, 2017 due to rapidly-developing complications of heart failure and esophageal cancer .  He was surrounded by family and died peacefully in his sleep.

Bob was born in Boonville, MO on January 18, 1936 to Bonham and Frances Chancellor.  He was the first of three sons who were raised in Webb City, Springfield and St. Louis.  In the first of many health crises that challenged but never daunted him, Bob was treated for polio in Kansas City in 1954, shortly after his graduation from high school.  He returned to Springfield to attend SMS in 1956 with plans to study medicine.

It was there he met the love of his life, Linda Hulston, while they worked on the college paper, the Southwest Standard.  Bob found not only his life partner but his true calling as a journalist, writing for the Daily News, KYTV, and KTTS. The newlyweds moved to St. Joseph MO in 1960 where Bob took a full time job at KFEQ TV and later KUSN radio while Linda cared for their growing family.  They returned to Springfield in 1963 to work for KTTS.

In May 1963, Bob was offered the job that would define his life: a news writer for Voice of America in Washington, D.C.  He worked the overnight shift and learned the ropes of international broadcasting, editing news articles sent to VOA from all corners of the world,  which were then translated into over 30 languages and broadcast by shortwave radio.  He thrived in the fast-paced newsroom and in 1966 was promoted to foreign correspondent.  His first post was Saigon in 1966 covering the Vietnam War.  Linda and their four children soon followed, setting up house in Bangkok, Thailand.   They were transferred to Tokyo, Japan in 1969 where Bob became Bureau Chief.  The international whirlwind continued for the next 15 years as his career flourished,  with VOA postings in Nairobi, Kenya;  Jerusalem, Israel;  and Johannesburg, South Africa.  He visited 42 countries as a journalist, covering countless stories across five continents, reporting on everything from Watergate to apartheid to NASA.

After stateside postings in Washington and Houston, Bob and Linda retired to where it all started:  Springfield Missouri, in 1990.  They quickly reconnected with family and friends and enjoyed time with Linda's parents, Georgia and Fred Hunt, as well as Betty and Pearson Ward.  Bob became active in Sertoma Club  and the TKE Alumni group.  Not surprisingly, his organizational and writing expertise led to leadership in many civic endeavors, such as Sertoma Chili Cookoff, Teke Talk newsletter, and restoration of the Gillioz Theatre.  He was persuaded to run for a place on Springfield's City Council and served from to 1989 until 2003.  Bob was presented with numerous awards  including District Sertoman of the Year, Teke Lifetime Achievement Award,  and Webb City High School Hall of Fame.  He wrote his memoir, "Pieces of String Too Short to Save" and co-authored several Ozark-area history books with Willie Washam.

Bob was the patriarch of a large and loving family:  his best friend and wife of 60 years, Linda; Kimberly Carter and husband Jeff; Rue Chancellor; Craig Chancellor and wife Donna; and Steven Chancellor.  He is also survived by two brothers, Sam Chancellor (Linda Jean) and Stephen Chancellor (Kay).  His grandchildren are  Kyle Carter, Shannon Carter, Justin Chancellor, Jenny Chancellor, Mason Chancellor, and great-grandson Clayton Chancellor,  as well as nieces Emily Chancellor, Cara Chancellor and Alison Chancellor and nephew Christopher Chancellor (wife Christa and their children Evan and Leah).  Cousins are Kristin Bowen and Andy Olive.  His friends range the world, and there are too many to list.

A memorial service for Bob Chancellor will be held at Springfield's Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home, 1947 E. Seminole St., on Saturday September 30, 2017 at 11:00 am.  In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Springfield Boys and Girls Club or the G. Pearson Ward Family Y.

"To be persuasive, we must be believable;

To be believable, we must be credible;

To be credible, we must be truthful".

Edward R. Murrow