Meet William Landes
William Landes recently came to live with us at Caring House. We are honored.
His daughter Wendy shared the following remembrance of William.
William-Alan Landes Biography
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.” — As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII
William’s life was a reflection of these words for he truly believed that the world was his stage. He wrote his story as he saw fit and without apology. A true storyteller, he would often omit or adjust any detail that he felt did not fit his narrative.
William did not choose all the players he would share his stage with during his life. This made him far more particular about those he did. Regardless of how the players were cast he meticulously directed them in each and every way to fulfill his vision. No detail was ever too small for him to add his personal touch.
Like most people he had many exits and many entrances in his life. Far too many to mention here except for a few of the most profound. He made his grand entrance on April 27, 1945 in the Bronx, New York where he spent all of his formative years. He took his first exit when he entered the United States Air Force in 1963 and was stationed in Bexar, Texas. His time in the Air Force would also take him to Biloxi, Mississippi before returning him home to New York. He made his honorable exit from the Air Force in 1967, and in 1969 he made his greatest exit when he said goodbye to his beloved New York and made the move to California, where he would live until his final exit at age 75 on January 31, 2021.
William has played many, many parts in his lifetime. Son, Brother, Grandson, Nephew, and Cousin. These of course were just some of the parts one could say he was born to play. Then came the part of student at Bronx High School of Science, Herbert Lehman College, Cal State LA, and UCLA as well as the part of Airmen 2nd Class in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam conflict. More parts were added as he tried out different career opportunities in interior design, sales, private investigation, and finance to name a few. These parts did not last long and soon new ones took their places: actor, director, producer, and even choreographer. It was these parts that led him to his life’s work and his parts as publisher, writer, and business owner. He credited these for adding the part of World Traveler to his resume with frequent business trips to England, Germany, and Australia. In his personal life he added the parts of friend, Beau, uncle, father-in law, and of course father to his only child. Many of the parts he played he excelled at, while others he did not. As he himself would often say “Such is Life.”
William knew what he wanted from this life and he never shied away from doing whatever it took to get it.
As we look back now on the completed story of William’s life with all of his accomplishments and all of his disappointments, one thing has become very clear. No matter what he did, he always did it his way, just like the song “My Way” by Paul Anka.
The curtain has now closed on the final act of William’s story. The writer has put down his pen and the director can make no further changes to the legacy that will be left behind. He must now take his final bow but as he turns to leave this grand stage one last time, we, his players say, “Goodnight sweet Prince. And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”
In Memoriam
William passed away on January 31, 2021. Honor him. Remember him.