Richard Lee McCandless

Richard Lee McCandless, 73, of Cape Coral, Florida, formerly of Butler, Pa and DuBois, Pa, died Tuesday evening, January 29th, at his home in Cape Coral after a battle with Cancer. He is survived by his wife, Pat McCandless; two daughters and son-in-laws, Mary Jo and Scott Burkholder (Cranberry Twp, PA) and Beth Ann and Albert Karadeema (Jacksonville, FL); 3 grandchildren, Joshua and Rebekah Karadeema and Krystal Burkholder; 3 Step-children and their spouses, Kathy and Steve Bystrom, Eric and Cheryl Miller, and Debi and Steve Holzhauer; his first wife, Edith McCandless (Renfrew, PA), and a sister, Kaye McCandless Ryan (Hudson, OH). Born in Pittsburgh, PA, May 30, 1934, he was the son of Lee and Zella McCandless of Butler, PA. Raised in Bulter, he graduated from Butler High School in 1951. He graduated from Haverford College in 1955 and Dickenson School of Law in 1960. He was a member of the PA Bar Association from 1960 ?" 2006 and retired from Dillon, McCandless, King, Coulter and Graham, LLP. Mr. McCandless was a Member of Courts of Butler County and PA Supreme Court beginning in 1960. He was the Treasurer and Chairman of the Ethics Committee for the Butler County Bar Association 1964-1969. He was an active member of the Butler Elks Lodge 170, became Grand Exalted Ruler for 1966-1967 and District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler for the Western District of PA Elks in 1970. He was honored as “Elk of the Year” in 1967-68 and accepted the position of State Chairman of the Cerebral Palsy Fund Raising Committee 1969. A member of the Butler County Fair and Agriculture Association 1974 - 1988 and the US Trotting Association from 1970 - 2002, he was an avid harness racing fan. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police, Victory Lodge 694, New Castle Consistory, and the Syria Shriners. His other life-long hobby was golf, being a member of the Treasure Lake Golf Association 1986 ?" 2004 (Du Bois) and the Cypress Lake Country Club 1999 ?" 2007 (Ft. Myers, FL). Mr. McCandless was celebrated in both Community Leaders of America in 1971 and Who's Who East in both 1970 and 1975. Upon retirement, he resided on Sanibel Island and later Ft. Myers, FL. He has been a member of the Cape Coral First United Methodist Church for the last three years. He also spent a great deal of time in the summer at his home on Treasure Lake in Du Bois, PA. His life’s accomplishments are only surpassed by his unending love and support of his two daughters and their families, and his inspirational zest for living throughout his battle with cancer. A private memorial service will be held at the convenience of the immediate family in Cape Coral, FL at a later date. Donations in Mr. McCandless’s memory may be made to the Lee C. and Zella W. McCandless ’23 Scholarship Fund at Grove City College, 100 Campus Drive, Grove City, PA 16127; the Elks National Home, 931 Ashland Avenue, Bedford, VA 24523 or the Butler County Bar Association, 201 S. Main Street Suite 101, Butler, PA 16001.

Richard Lee McCandless

January 29, 2008