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WILLIAM J. DEAN

WILLIAM DEAN Obituary

DEAN--William J., who was born, raised, educated (college excepted), and worked and lived in New York City, died in his home on August 17, 2020. As a lawyer, he was deeply involved in the life of the city, serving as executive director of Volunteers of Legal Service. As a volunteer, he served as chairman of the Correctional Association of New York, chairman of The New York Society Library, the Wednesday night driver for the Coalition for the Homeless food van, an almoner for the Havens Relief Fund Society, a legal adviser to the Greenmarkets in New York City and was a proud member of The Century Association. For two decades, he conducted a forum series at the New School's Center for New York City Affairs, "New York: Problem City in Search of Solutions." Hundreds of his personal essays on a wide range of subjects have appeared in the Op-Ed pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor and Indian Economy & Markets. He was the author of The Pedestrian Revolution: Streets Without Cars, My New York: A Life in the City, Into Distant Countries: Travels and Personal Journeys and Before Us on the Road: Passages from My Reading. In 2011 he was the recipient of the Brooke Russell Astor Award presented by The New York Public Library, an award honoring a person "who is relentless in his or her dedication to the City and who has contributed substantially to its enrichment." When not lawyering, writing, or volunteering, Mr. Dean enjoyed traveling the world, especially to Venice, and teaching in Puerto Rico and in India, attending the Opera, appearing once as a supernumerary in Don Carlo at the Metropolitan Opera, playing basketball regularly at the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House and was a beloved brother and uncle and a friend to many.

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Published by New York Times on Aug. 23, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for WILLIAM DEAN

17 Entries

Bart

August 17, 2024

Missing you Bill. I think about you every time I take a three point shot. I know you are playing ball up in heaven.

Frank Matias Calo

August 17, 2023

Miss you at the basketball games we used to play. Lots of good times and meeting great people such as yourself. Still think of you and I miss reading your new articles you would put out and were so proud of. God Bless.

Simone Taylor

September 6, 2020

No one can prepare you for a loss; it comes like a swift wind. However, take comfort in knowing God is with you and your family lean on him in your time of need & remember,

Seth Cardeli

August 28, 2020

It’s been years since I last played basketball with Bill, but the memories are strong. Bill was so kind and a true patriarch of the Lenox Hill gym. He’ll certainly be missed by all who were lucky enough to have known him.

David A Rowe Jr

August 28, 2020

I met Bill when I first went to Lenox Hill Neighborhood house in 1999...he was such a gentleman...very kind and personable...and boy could he hit that one legged jumper!! LOL!! When things got heated in games he was the calming force...he calmed me down more than a few occasions! LOL!! I dont think I every saw Bill get angry whenever I went there to play...when I last went there around 2011 or 2012 there was Bill still shooting around and being friendly and personable...there was alot to be learned from Bill and that part of him I will always remember about him...RIP BIG FELLA!!!

My thoughts prayers and condolences go out to the family...May he rest in peace!

Simone Taylor

August 27, 2020

No one can prepare you for a loss; it comes like a swift wind. However, take comfort in knowing God is with you and your family lean on him in your time of need & remember,

Robert Williams

August 27, 2020

I used to work at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House and Bill would always be there playing basketball, we used to play together sometimes and it was always fun! Bill could really shoot the ball well and he was always so kind. I saw him not too long ago near my mom’s house, which is close to LHNH but I didn’t speak to him, and now I wish I had gone up to him. I’ll miss him and his kind spirit, RIP Bill.

Barthelemy Atsin

August 27, 2020

Barthelemy Atsin

August 27, 2020

Barthelemy Atsin

August 27, 2020

Frank M Calo

August 26, 2020

God Bless you Bill...I will always remeber the smile on your face when one of your Oped's got published. You loved the game of basketball...and now you are one of our favorite teammates who moved on...Safe Journeys and We will all see other again on the basketball court...Again, God bless

Maureen Phillips

August 26, 2020

A wonderful man always with a smile when he walked in the Lenox Hill House door to play basketball, which he loved.He gave me many articles he wrote about his travels and a book about "My New York A Life in the City" I will never forget "Bill".Rest in Peace.

Barthelemy Atsin

August 26, 2020

One of my most memorable moments of working at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House was playing basketball after work with William Dean. Bill had a very deceptive game, he would make you think he was out of shape but then nail a shot at every angle of the court. He was super competitive and loved the game. I will always remember looking for him at 6:30 pm on weekdays. I would find him in the weight room not lifting but sitting on the equipment reading his newspaper with his glasses on his face. I would walk in the weight room and his face would light up and he would immediately put his paper down and go into the gym with me. It was almost as if he was waiting for me as well. We would spend hours on end talking about everything with each other while playing Around The World and Horse. His friendly energy welcomed many players to join our basketball game such as Gregory Pascento, Michael Joy, Bobby Schroeder, and many others. Once we had enough people to play we would try to schedule full-court games on weekdays and weekends. When Bill was on the court he was a warrior. I remember him saying, “Let me shoot!” and then making a long-range overhead shot. Sometimes I would tease him about taking more than two steps when taking a shot. I always volunteered to guard him so I was a witness to his shooting abilities. It was my way of trying to protect him so he wouldn’t get hurt. We were apart of so many battles and victories on the Lenox Hill basketball court. This brought us closer as a group. People were truly fascinated by him because he made you believe that you could accomplish anything at any age. If he could shoot a basketball and go up and down the court as a senior citizen, you should be able to do it as well. But I never saw Bill as a senior citizen and Bill never saw himself as that either. He was just Bill and that’s what I loved about him. Bill was also very generous. I remember when Bill invited a few of us to attend an NBA game to see the Cleveland Cavaliers play against the New York Knicks. This was the game where a fan ran on the court to greet Lebron James during a timeout. I remember he kept trying to give me his extra ham sandwich and I kept telling him, “No, thanks”. That experience with Bill was so fun. It was such a great night. Bill never really talked about being a lawyer. He mainly discussed his interest in basketball, writing, and opera. He was so excited to get his writing published. Bill would always handout articles of his writing after we played ball and I read every single one. Bill also talked about how much he loved teaching. An how excited he was to teach English overseas. I remember seeing pictures of the kids playing ball with him and surrounding him because his personality was magnetic to be around. I will miss you Bill you truly inspired me.

Tina Pascento

August 25, 2020

I am truly heartbroken to hear this news. Bill played basketball frequently with my husband Greg and we got to be friends. He gifted us with some of his books as well as dozens of his articles because he knew I loved to listen to his stories. Bill was a natural raconteur and he did so much good and so much of interest with his life that he had plenty of delightful stories to share. He was a wonderful and fascinating man and he will be very missed. My deepest condolences to his family. Bill left his mark on many hearts and he will not be forgotten.

Michael Joy

August 25, 2020

He was a man who made friends easily. I will miss his easy manner and ability to give advice without being condescending or judgmental.

Simone Taylor

August 23, 2020

No one can prepare you for a loss; it comes like a swift wind. However, take comfort in knowing God is with you and your family lean on him in your time of need & remember,

Marc Kristal

August 23, 2020

I volunteered with Bill at the Coalition for the Homeless about 30 years ago, and it was a privilege and a pleasure to be in his company. He had a natural authority that was all the more impressive for his exceptional good humor, utter lack of pretense, and unfailing courtesy. Though far and away the most accomplished and worldly of our small crew, he was bereft of pretension, treated everyone as an equal [and with enormous generosity of spirit], and never lost his temper or looked at his watch with impatience or acted as though he knew better. Bill was also a very funny man who made sometimes long and difficult evenings on the Coalition van go smoothly and enjoyably, he wore his considerable erudition very lightly, and we all liked and appreciated his company. He also set an example of public service of which I took lasting notice: that our obligations to our fellow human beings are self-evident, as natural and inevitable as breathing, and we needn't call attention to ourselves for doing the right thing. He was a very special guy - a prince, as we say - and I will always cherish my memories of him, and try to follow the example that he set. Rest In Peace, Bill - you've earned it.

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