Obituary: Burton Edwin Handmacher

It is with profound sadness and devastated hearts that we share the loss of our beloved, handsome, kind, and humble, husband, dad, and papou, Burton Edwin Handmacher. Burton was born in Chicago on Sept. 12, 1932, to the late Dorothy Smith Handmacher and Obbie Handmacher. When Burton was very young, they moved to Atlanta to be with the very large Smith family.

He attended Riverside Military Academy and then Georgia State University and majored in public accounting. While attending college, he met Betty Franco, and they married just two years later on June 3, 1953. Burt was Ashkenazi and Betty was Sephardic, which created quite the stir in the Atlanta Jewish community. Betty’s very large Franco family welcomed their Ashkenazi son-in-law with loving, nurturing, open arms.

Following graduation from Georgia State, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Korea. While in Korea, his first child, Lynn, was born. After his return from Korea, he and Betty had two sons, Albert and Jack.

Burton was in public accounting and finance for most of his career.  After retiring, he decided to shift gears and became the owner of a liquor store. He ran the store for 12 years. Everyone knew and loved him as Mr. Burt.

Burton’s true passion was traveling the world with his beloved wife, Betty, of 72 years. Throughout their marriage, they were fortunate enough to see almost every continent and even lived abroad for months at a time. When they returned home, they loved taking their grandchildren on adventures of their own — sharing with them the same passion for exploration and discovery that had defined their travels together.

Betty and Burt have been longtime members of Congregation Or VeShalom being involved in the old Couples Club and Bazaar.

They have been fitness and health conscious for decades. Until February of this year, you could find 92 years young Burt at the Marcus Jewish Community Center on his favorite recumbent bike or lifting weights.

Burton is preceded in death by his beloved grandson, Benjamin Jarred Chanin, his parents and his dear sister, Myrna Handmacher Bullard. He is survived by his wife, Betty Franco Handmacher, daughter- and son-in-law, Lynn Handmacher Chanin and Butch Fowler, son- and daughter-in-law, Albert Handmacher and Akemi Handmacher, and son, Jack Handmacher. Beloved grandchildren Alex Chanin Nelson (Zachary), Marrissa Chanin Faulk (Crandall), Erica Chanin (Andrew), Asuka Handmacher, and Akana Handmacher, and great-grandchildren, Reece and Olivia Nelson, Benjamin Faulk, and Gideon and Evie Chanin-Clark.
He will be missed beyond measure.

We would be honored to have donations made to The Benjamin Jarred Chanin Scholarship Fund at The Galloway School, 215 Chastain Park Ave NW, Atlanta, GA 30342, (404) 252-8389.

A graveside service was held at Arlington Memorial Park on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. See www.jewishfuneralcare.com for online guest book. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.