Ricky "Ricochet" Chandler

Ricky “Ricochet” Darrell Chandler Jr., 47, of Merrillville, Indiana, formerly of Crown Point, Indiana, passed away on September 2, 2026. He was born on January 17, 1979, in Crown Point, Indiana. If you knew Ricky, you knew that life with him was never quiet. He had a personality that was larger than life: bright, explosive, passionate, stubborn, hilarious, and completely his own. He could make you laugh, make you shake your head, make you yell right back at him, and somehow have you laughing about it five minutes later. Ricky was the kind of person you didn't simply meet; you remembered him. Ricky found happiness in the things that brought people together. He loved playing poker, playing games with his kids and friends, traveling, and spending time with the people he loved. He loved fireworks, which seemed almost perfectly suited for a man whose personality was just as explosive and bright. He could watch crime documentaries at full volume like the entire neighborhood needed to know what happened next. And if the Bears were playing, there was a pretty good chance everyone around him was going to hear about it too. Ricky didn't simply watch football; he experienced it loudly, passionately, and usually with a few words directed toward the television. But underneath all of that noise, humor, and larger-than-life energy was someone with an enormous heart. Ricky loved helping people. If someone needed him, he wanted to be there. He gave his time, his energy, and his heart to the people around him, and he had a way of making people feel like they mattered. He was involved with Willy’s Works Fireworks and RCO World CBD and was affiliated with Gracepoint Church. Ricky's love story with April Vega, his best friend, life partner, and bearer of his children, was one that lasted 25 years. Twenty-five years is a lifetime of memories, beautiful moments, difficult moments, laughter, arguments, growing, changing, and everything in between. Their journey was not without its bumps in the road, but through all of it, there remained a love and a life they built together, even if strained. April was not simply someone who shared his life; she was a part of the story that made Ricky who he was. Above everything else, Ricky was a dad. He loved his children, Isaiah and Amyah, more than words can explain. He cheered them on, coached them, played games with them, supported them, and wanted to be the best dad he could possibly be. He coached soccer and football for his kids, even being the cheerleading coach for his daughter, but being their dad was the role he was proudest to have. Ricky is survived by his life partner, April Vega; his children, Isaiah Chandler and Amyah Chandler; his parents, Vanessa Chandler and Ricky “Willy” Chandler; his sisters, Traci Chandler and Kristi Foreman; his nieces and nephews; and the many friends and loved ones who became part of his life. There will be so many things that people will miss about Ricky. His laugh. His voice. His stories. His stubbornness. His willingness to help. His love for his kids. His passion for the things he cared about. The way he could turn a normal night into a story people would still be telling years later. The yelling at the Bears. The crime documentaries playing loud enough for everyone to hear. And all of the countless moments that made up a life that was anything but ordinary. Most of all, Ricky will be remembered for the love he had for his family. He was a man with plenty of imperfections, like all of us, but he loved deeply and left an impression on the people fortunate enough to know him. His children will carry that love with them for the rest of their lives, along with the memories of the dad who coached them, played with them, cheered for them, and wanted nothing more than to be the best dad he could be. Ricky lived loudly, loved louder, and left behind a presence that cannot simply be replaced. He was Ricochet: bright, explosive, unforgettable, and completely one of a kind. He will be deeply missed by his family, his friends, and everyone who had the privilege, and sometimes the patience, to love him. His memory will live on in the people he loved, the lives he touched, and especially in the children who will always be able to say, “That was my dad.” Services will take place at Burns Funeral Home & Crematory 10101 Broadway Crown Point, Indiana 46307. Visitation on Wednesday. September 9, 2026, from 2:00 P.M. until the time of the funeral at 6:00 P.M. Rev. Ben Lamb officiating. Please visit Ricky’s online guestbook and obituary at www.BurnsFuneral.com

Ricky "Ricochet" Chandler

January 17, 1979 - September 2, 2026