William Earl Langston
In loving memory of William Earl Langston
August 8, 1931 — June 4, 2012
A much loved man who epitomized the spirit of life
The family of Bill Langston is sad to announce his passing after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Bill Langston leaves his family, co-workers and friends with memories of a man who made the most of his life.
One of nine children, he was born in Farmville, North Carolina. When he was a teenager, the family settled in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he played semi-pro baseball for 2 years as a 1st baseman. He also served as a volunteer fireman. In 1953 he married Beverly Kath, his partner and the love of his life for 59 years.
Bill worked in the construction industry as a tradesman; however, the leaders in Myrtle Beach soon recognized his potential and took him under their wing. He learned his lessons well and his life of entrepreneurship began. He and Bev built their first home in their early twenties with a “handshake” loan from a local bank. Their children, Catherine and Alan, were born during this time.
Responding to a business opportunity, the family moved to Wisconsin, where they built their second home. After four years of viewing many a Rose Parade they decided to move to warm, sunny California. With Disneyland as their target, they arrived in Orange County in 1959. Here he met and teamed up with another young man, Don Snyder, who also worked in the trades with his father in a construction company. Through hard work and determination, their company, Snyder Langston, pioneered in developing Orange County. Central to their success was integrity, strong relationships, and creativity. Today, that tradition carries on.
Bill was an innovator and never happy with the status quo. At his core, he was curious and had a passion to solve the problems of the construction industry. This passion to understand and create the best possible solutions for his clients led to relationships that turned into life long personal friends.
Bill took great pleasure in being involved with politics. As president of the Lincoln Club, he received the “Man of the Year” award in 1981.
His achievements include:
- Appointed by O.C. Supervisor Thomas Riley to the Airport Land Use Commission (1976-1988)
- President of the O.C. Economic Development Corporation
- Appointed by Governor Deukmejian to the Board of Directors of the CA Housing Finance Agency (1984)
Community involvement and recognition:
- As a pilot, he served as a Director for Liga International (The Flying Doctors of Mercy), transporting and working alongside many doctors and nurses in Mexico
- City of Hope Spirit of Life Award (1998)
- Southern California College of Optometry Distinguished Service Award (2005)
An avid golfer, he was an active member of Big Canyon Country Club, where he served two successive terms as President.
Bill’s passion for flying and adventure took him to many corners of the globe, including hiking Kilimanjaro with Bev. In 1985, Bill and his equally adventurous wife flew a twin-engine plane around the entire continent of South America. Argentina became a very special place for Bill. His desire to become fluent in Spanish led him to live in Buenos Aires for two months with the goal to learn the language better. As an enthusiastic fly fisherman, he found the streams of Argentina a worthy challenge, frequently returning with his friends.
Thankfully, Bill experienced the joy of knowing that his granddaughters, Perrin and Jillian, grew up to be fine, productive young adults. It was Bill’s desire to have a private family service. The family wants friends to know that they appreciate the outpouring of love and condolences, and are very grateful to his many loyal friends for maintaining their relationships during the last difficult months of his illness.
For those wishing to make a donation, Bill dedicated his efforts to the City of Hope and the Southern California College of Optometry.