Romantic Reunion: Raymond and Cissy Chandler

Yesterday, February 14th 2011, in San Diego, California, Raymond Chandler and his wife were reunited after 57 years.  When Cissy died in 1954, Chandler was too distraught to make arrangements for his wife of 30 years, who, according to Judith Freeman, was his ‘anchor, his shrine of worship, his raison d’être’. Although he was buried in Mt Hope cemetary after his death in 1959,  Cissy’s cremated remains lay in storage when, in 2010, Loren Latker and others sought to reunite the pair.  Yesterday’s ceremony was a celebration of their love for each other. After a jazz-enfused funeral procession, there was a grave-side ceremony, followed by a gimlet reception (Chandler’s favourite drink) at the Hilton and a celebratory dinner. Although we couldn’t attend, all of us at Venetian Vase would like to thank Latker and the others who completed and honoured their love story by reuniting the pair.