John Chaney's Obituary
John Chaney is a true Miami native. Born March 28th, 1948, in Jackson Memorial Hospital, growing up in Miami Shores, near Biscayne Bay, where he spent many days spear fishing, building a driftwood raft, that promptly sank and playing "kick the crab", don't ask, with two boxer dogs and other friends.
He became quite a pool shark after his dad gave him a pool table for his 15th birthday. When he turned 18, he quickly headed for Vegas, with plans to enter a tournament, only to be turned away for being underage. Upset and walking down the hallway, he bumped into a very large man, it was (true story) the one and only Minnesota Fats, who looked down at him and said "come back in a few years kid, we'll be waiting for ya."
When John finally realized that he needed an actual job if he was going to survive, he pleaded with his dad to take him into the family business, Martin-Cheney Underground Engineering Contractors, Inc. His father, Quincy Chaney, finally said "ok son, here you go" and handed him a shovel and a safety vest and told him to "start digging and work your way up."
He did exactly that. Eventually starting his own successful company with his partner not only in business, but also in life. He and his wife Lisa worked together, lived together, and traveled the world together for over 30 years. He enjoyed Dolphins Games (club seats only), going to Gulfstream Park, playing pool on his own custom pool table, and playing poker with family and friends. Where you saw one, you always saw the other. The love of his life and the love of hers. Just like "peas and carrots." The rest of course is history and it's a good guess that John may still have that shovel somewhere.
John is survived by wife Lisa, sister Pamela James (Richmond "Dick"), daughter Sasha (Bernardo), sisters-in-law Niki and Christina (and their families), brother-in-law Jason and family, and nephew Michael, as well as many other beloved family and friends and pets.
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