Painting by William Sayles
William Sayles, of South Nyack NY, passed away on October 31, 2018 at his residence. He was 98. He was born August 22, 1920 in Albany, New York.
In 1942, his college career was interrupted when he joined a top-secret camouflage unit of the US Army (23rd HQ Special Troops). This unit is the subject of the documentary film: The Ghost Army by Rick Beyer, and the book The Ghost Army of WWII by Rick Beyer and Elizabeth Sayles.
After the war, Sayles was a commercial illustrator, working for clients such as Ford and Western Publishing, and in 1949 he married Shirley Leah Weinstein of Boston.
In the 1970s, William and Shirley collaborated on the wildly popular Step-By-Step Craft book series, which gave them the opportunity to travel to China, Japan, and Mexico. William spent his later years painting in his studio and was very involved with the Edward Hopper House in Nyack, NY, and the Rockland Center for the Arts.
His wife, his brothers Paul Sayles and Seymour Sayles, and sister, Ann Swyer, predecease him. He is survived by his children, Michael Sayles, of Brooklyn, NY, and Elizabeth Sayles Dow, of Valley Cottage, NY; his beloved grandchildren, Jessica Dow and Daniel Stein-Sayles; his son-in-law, Matthew Dow and daughter-in-law, Deborah Stein.
Graveside Services will be held on Sunday, November 4, 2018, 12p, at Temple Israel Memorial Park, Van Wyck Road, at Blauvelt Road, Blauvelt, New York. Interment will follow at the family plot. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Hellman Memorial Chapels, Spring Valley, New York. 845.356.8600
The family will be welcoming friends & family to Shiva at the Sayles’ residence in South Nyack, Saturday, Nov. 3, noon to 8p, and after the burial on Sunday until 8p.
Contact the family for details: lizsayles00@gmail.com
The family would appreciate donations be made in William Sayles’ memory to:
Ghost Army Legacy Project: http://www.ghostarmylegacyproject.org/
Meals on Wheels of Rockland : https://www.mowrockland.org/in_memory.html
Edward Hopper House Art Center: http://www.edwardhopperhouse.org/
Rockland Center for the Arts: https://rocklandartcenter.org/roca/
