Longtime Tucsonan Cressworth Lander, who served the city in the areas of housing, community and economic development — along with a history of volunteerism — died Saturday. He was 89.
Lander died at University of Arizona Medical Center after a long illness, said his wife, Chyrl Lander. The couple was married 35 years.
“Cress, there was no one like him. He was an incredible individual, mentor, teacher and friend,” said Ray Clarke, board president of Amity Foundation Dragonfly Village, a transitional housing program for homeless, and a former president and chief executive officer of Tucson Urban League Inc.
“He not only served his community locally, but he did it on a national level. You were always proud to be with him,” said Clarke. “When I was with the Tucson Urban League, and we were at national meetings, he had the attention of pretty strong personalities from across the country. They always listened to him because he had something of value to say. And he delivered his message in a way that always made you feel better about yourself or whatever task was at hand, no matter how difficult it was.”
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Lander worked for the city for more than 22 years in two stints. He was hired as director of the Model Cities program in 1969, and worked to pave streets and provide streetlights and indoor plumbing in poor neighborhoods. The program also created neighborhood centers and kindergartens.
In 1974, Lander was appointed head of the Human and Community Development agency, and in 1978 he moved to take over the Department of Housing. He retired in 1992.
Under Lander’s direction, he pioneered the city’s decentralizing of public housing complexes, and placing hundreds of low-income housing units throughout the city. He also worked to bring services and housing to the elderly and disabled.
He was one of several Tucsonans who took prominent positions in former President Jimmy Carter’s administration, serving as managing director of the Civil Aeronautics Board from 1979 to 1981. He returned to Tucson and resumed his position as head of the Department of Housing, which later combined with the Human and Community Development agency to become Community Services.
“Cress was a man of conviction, and he stood by his convictions. He worked both inside and outside of government, and was effective in both roles,” recalled Emily Nottingham, who worked alongside Lander as the city’s deputy director of community services in the 1980s.
“He was proud of the work that he did in Washington, D.C., but he was equally proud of the work he did in Tucson to make a permanent difference,” said Nottingham.
Lander was raised seven blocks north of downtown near West University Boulevard and North Stone Avenue. “I was fortunate. My father owned his home. It had two rooms. He bought it in 1929,” said Lander in a 1996 interview with the Star.
He attended the segregated Dunbar School for black children from 1931 to 1940, graduating as valedictorian of his class.
He went on to Tucson High School, and then served in the Marines during World War II at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. After the service, he attended Los Angeles State College and graduated in the 1950s, majoring in business administration. He returned to Tucson, where he began his career in public service.
In his volunteer roles, he worked to develop affordable housing in the South Park Avenue neighborhood, served on the Pima Council on Aging’s executive committee and the University of Arizona’s African American Advisory Council.
In 2002, he was elected president of the Dunbar Coalition and his efforts, along with members, led to $4.8 million in government funding to renovate the historic blacks-only Dunbar School into a history and civil rights museum and cultural center — Dunbar Pavilion, north of downtown.
“Cress believed in the Dunbar project because it is beneficial to the entire community, and will help our young people with education and job opportunities,” said former City Councilman Chuck Ford, a coalition member.
In addition to his wife, Lander is survived by two daughters, a brother, a sister, a granddaughter and a great-grandson.
Services will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 210 E. Lester St.
