Rev. Dr. Paul Wesley Chaney

Rev. Dr. Paul Wesley Chaney, of Sarasota (Manatee County), Florida, passed away on January 31, 2015 at the Westminster Towers and Shores Healthcare Center in Bradenton.
Rev. Chaney was born in Longview, Texas to the late Wesley Arlin and Madrid Pauline (Davenport) Chaney. During his lifetime he had several different career paths. Working as a retail buyer and store owner, worked as a realtor, and country club manager.
In 1985 he married the former Martha McCabe. They lived in Bradenton and started attending the First Presbyterian Church of Bradenton where they were very active in the congregation. In 1987 he was elected as Elder and was elected clerk of Session in 1988, and served on the Session in the class of 1990.
At this time the pastor of the church, Rev. Ernie Gilmore, Jr. became ill and took retirement. Rev. Chaney after some time was hired as Assistant to the Pastor. At this time he gave up his real estate brokerage business to return to school.
Then at the age of 58 he returned to school to finish his education in order to obtain his Bachelor’s Degree that he had started almost 40 years earlier. In 1992 he received that Bachelor’s Degree from Eckerd College,  he then went on to obtain his Masters of Divinity a the Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia where he graduated from in 1994 at the age of 62, with the support and assistance of the First Presbyterian Church of Bradenton. Rev. Chaney then also went on to attend and receive his Doctorate from the United Theological Seminary in 2002 at the age of 70.
Following his graduation from Columbia Theological Seminary, Rev. Chaney served as the Associate Pastor for First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs, Florida from 1994 until 2000.
He was predeceased by his sister, Betty Pedrick, and is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Martha A. Chaney of Sarasota, Florida, four dear daughters; Mary E. Reda and her husband Joseph of Florida, Graceann M. Chaney of Florida, Paula Whitman and her husband Ron of Beggs, Oklahoma, Shelly J.  of Carmel, California., six precious grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren, one brother, David Chaney and his wife, Sheila of Olympia, Washington, two nephews, two nieces and many extended family members and brothers and sisters in Christ.
A Celebration of Rev. Dr. Paul W. Chaney’s life will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Sunday, February 8, 2015 at the Whitfield Presbyterian Church, 7045 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida with the Rev. Jane Jones-Norris officiating. Further services and interment will take place at a later date in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he grew up.
The family request that in lieu of flowers that memorials be made to either the Whitfield Presbyterian Church of Sarasota, Florida, or TideWell Hospice in his memory.