Judge Chidester was twice married. His first wife was Miss Mary Nicoll, whom he wedded in 1874 and who passed away in 1883, leaving four children. In 1885 he married Miss Almina Worthen, a daughter of Samuel Worthen, of Panguitch, a contracting mason who stood high in civil and ecclesiastical circles. Mrs. Chidester survives her distinguished husband and by her marriage she became the mother of eleven children. The surviving sons and daughters of Judge Chidester are: Mrs. Stephen Yates, of Salt Lake; Theodore, a resident of Panguitch; Mrs. Elijah Baker, of Union; Mrs. Leonard Ogden, of Richfield; Samuel H., of Sigurd; Arnon; Fenton, who was a member of the Medical Corps of the navy and was honorably discharged in September, 1919; and Louise, Vera, J. Denzel, Thais and Alton, all of whom reside in Richfield. Mrs. Chidester and her sons Arnon and Denzel own and conduct a farm of forty-three acres four miles north of the city of Richfield.

The death of Judge Chidester occurred in Richfield, July 7, 1917, and was the occasion of the deepest regret, not only in his home city and in Sevier county but throughout the state. He was a man of jovial, kindly disposition, who easily made friends by reason of his sterling personal worth and always retained their warm friendship and regard. He was steadfast, honorable, kindly and helpful, and his enemies and political opponents never once, even in the heat of party politics, questioned his integrity. He was charitable to a degree but without ostentation, and so quietly were his good deeds performed that ofttimes none knew of them save himself and the recipients. He was every inch a man and one in whose death southern Utah lost a most valuable citizen, the bar an illustrious member and many poor families a generous friend. It has been said: "Not the good that comes to us, but the good that comes to the world through us is the measure of our success," and judged by this standard John Foy Chidester was a most successful man.