Obituary of William Schachter

William Schachter passed away peacefully at his home in Aptos, September 6, 2011. He had suffered from Alzheimer's Disease for more than a dozen years. He was 91 years old. Bill was born in the Bronx, New York, on February 23, 1920, to Rose and Jacob Schachter, both of whom had immigrated to the U.S. from Galicia, Poland. Growing up in the Depression had a lifelong impact on Bill. He graduated from James Monroe High School in 1937. After high school he worked in a dental lab, then he went to school to learn how to make patterns for fur coats. He worked for a furrier until he was drafted into the Army. He served as a medic during World War II in the Philippines and Guadalcanal and was stationed for a long time in Fiji. When he returned from the service, he returned to the fur business, making patterns for fur coats. In 1948, Bill met Florence at a resort in the Berkshires and they were married less than a year later. They first lived in Brooklyn, then purchased a home in Flushing, NY, where they lived for 49 years. With the help of their uncle, Bill and his brother bought a toy store, Wonderland, in Kew Gardens, NY, in 1954. Several years later the brothers agreed there was not enough business to support both their growing families, so one brother needed to move on. They found a toy and juvenile furniture store for sale, and flipped a coin to see who would stay with Wonderland and who would start the new business. Bill lost the coin toss and had to move on, so he bought Sukon's in Richmond Hill, NY, which turned out to be a great move for him. Bill taught all his children about the retail business, chess, stamp collecting, gardening, the love of bicycling, and clamming. He was an avid gardener, from the tomato plants he grew in his small backyard to the greenhouses he rented to grow geraniums for sale. He got his start with cuttings he snuck out of the Bronx Botanical Gardens when he was a kid. He loved riding his bike all around Queens, riding his bike almost daily until he was 85 years old. He was the favorite uncle at all extended family gatherings since he brought toys from his store for all the children to enjoy. For many years Bill enjoyed the family vacation home in Hampton Bays, a perfect spot for his hobbies and for entertaining friends and family. He was also a fabulous letter-writer, sending humorous and loving notes to whichever child was far from home. In 2005 Bill and Florence moved to Capitola to be near their daughter, Nancy. They were lucky to meet many kind and thoughtful neighbors at their new home. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Florence; three sons, Myles, of Lawrence, Kansas, and his wife, Huei-Chi Yang; Jesse, of Port Washington, NY; and Roy, of Castro Valley; his daughter, Nancy Barr, and her husband, Charles Barr Jr., of Aptos; five grandchildren, Jennifer Schachter, Daniel Schachter, David Barr, Amy Barr, and Sarah Stone; his sister Retta Fagin, of Connecticut; his brother, Ken Schachter, of Florida; and many nieces and nephews. Graveside services will be today, Thursday, at 11:00 a.m. at Home of Peace Cemetery on Meder Street in Santa Cruz. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to or Cindy's Celebrations, P.O. Box 1637, Capitola, CA 95010, or Temple Beth El, 3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos, CA 95003.