William “Bill” Wilson Land, age 69, of Leasburg, fell ill and died May 20, 2016 at the home of his sister and brother-in-law, Shirley and Don Dillon in Bourbon, MO.
Bill was born January 11, 1947 in St. Louis, MO, the last of nine children of the late Helen R. Coulson Land and Ronald Martin Land. At the young age of four years, he survived a high temperature from the disease meningitis but was left profoundly deaf. An ear specialist suggested that Bill was highly intelligent and said a friend could arrange for Bill to attend Central Institute for the Deaf. Speech and lip-reading were their emphasis and Bill learned well during his eight years there.
Longing for his family and his hometown, he was sent to school in Leasburg and graduated from Bourbon before attending the Missouri School for the Deaf in Fulton where he learned sign language, more math and such. Later, he graduated from Linn Technical College as a welder. Bill worked several jobs for only a short while due to the insurance companies’ failure to accept his disability.
A young nephew, Glenn, described his Uncle Bill this way “I guess it could be said that Bill has had a rough life, but one couldn’t tell it by seeing him or talking with him. He is always cheerful, always smiling. Many times he has cheered me up; he can often shed light on a situation seemingly destined for darkness”. All the nieces and nephews felt loved and protected; they have many memories of the games their Uncle Bill “put up with” that he had exceptional sight and feeling; his approval or disapproval of what was beautiful; his love of dogs; the pleasure of driving and much more.
Ten years after the death of his mother, he was treated for depression and much of his cheerful personality drifted away; he continued to live in his home but was comforted somewhat by good lighting and having family and friends to depend on.
During his smnmer vacations, Bill, his mother, and his sister, Lois, the driver, made trips throughout the United States. Family was always a destination as well as our National Parks, Monuments, Battlefields, Capitols and Museums. Like his family, he loved history.
The movies, ‘”Gettysburg” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” were favorites. He loved telling you about the movies and stories he found in the area newspapers including the daily St. Louis Post Dispatch. The wars and their veterans concerned him.
Bill is survived by his sisters, Lois Aileen, Helen Joyce Bishop, Shirley Ann Dillon and husband, Don; brothers, Peter Louis and wife, Kathy (Wysong); Donald Keith and wife Aiko (Kingor); sister-in-law Wanda (Fernimen) Land; nieces, nephews, their children; and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Lillian Alice and husband Russell; Dorothy Marie Marsh; brother, Martin Haley and brother-in-law, Joseph Bishop Jr.
Memorial funeral services
were conducted 2 p.m.,Saturday, June 4, 2016 from the Chapel of the Eaton Funeral Home, Sullivan, MO with Mr. James D. Eaton officiating. Interment was in Bourbon Cemetery.