Where are they now: Claudette Landess, 1977 woman of the year, shares her life of giving
As we prepare to select and honor our 2023 Man and Woman of the Year, the Amarillo Globe-News would like to look back on some of our former recipients and tell their story once more, including all the accomplishments these notable Amarilloans have made following their original recognition.
More: Where are they now: 1986 AGN Man of the Year Don Powell shares a life of 'grace'
In 1977, Claudette Leachman Landess was announced the Woman of the Year. At the time, Landess was the fourth woman in Amarillo history to be named as the "woman of the year," as the recognition for area women began in 1974. Landess was recognized for her volunteer efforts throughout the city and work as the first woman president of the United Way of Amarillo and Canyon (UW) and the first woman chairman of the Amarillo Civil Service Commission.
Landess was born, raised and earned most of her higher education in Oklahoma before moving to Amarillo after receiving her degree to work for Channel 10 television. Later, Landess met her husband William Garvin Landess (who passed in 2010), and the couple raised their two children in Amarillo.
"When people ask me what I like best about Amarillo, I always say it's the people, because it is. Because I had the opportunity to work with the people in this area, I fell in love with the community," Landess said. "We get a lot of flack from the rest of the state for our weather or the way the city looks, but they only experience it as they drive through. If they stop, they see we have such a giving and caring community, and that is why I chose to call Amarillo my home."
Following her 1977 announcement as Woman of the Year, Landess continued her service as Commissioner in Amarillo until 1986. In 1977, Landess also announced the UW Campaign Chairman-Special Gifts division, where she was able to advocate for donations to allocate to area nonprofits and gain donations from the community.
Beginning in 1986 to 1989, Landess served on the State Bar of Texas, District 13 Grievance Committee, while also serving as the Advanced Gifts Chairman for UW. In August 1989, she served as a member of the State Bar of Texas Disciplinary Review Committee.
For seven years beginning in 1991, Landess served on the Children's Home board and was the acting president of the board of trustees in 1996. During that time, she also served the Greater Amarillo Chapter of the American Red Cross and on the Board of Directors for Catholic Family Services.
Landess also became involved with the Junior League of Amarillo where her son played sports. She has served as a volunteer and on various committees with the organization since 1964.
"I have worked with and been a part of that organization for so long, and I enjoy it because from the beginning, it allowed me to meet new people and really helped to show me the Amarillo community," Landess said. "Some of the women I worked with there were and are amazing. There was a lot of emphasis on children and making sure they were having fun and were taken care of, and those are some of the fondest memories. To this day, people still talk about Fun Fest, and I remember my husband and I being assigned to the early morning race and I managed to talk my son's fellow football players into helping out, and them staying the night so we could all wake up early to be there and help out. ... That is just one example of why I have and want to contribute to Amarillo."
For seven years, Landess served on the board of directors with the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra beginning in June 2007. From 2005 to 2008, she served the Amarillo Little Theatre as a member of the Board of Directors and advocated and found funding for much of their audio advancements for the mainstage, still utilized by the organization to this day.
Landess, along with her husband, was recognized as a lifetime member of the Amarillo Symphony Guild. In 2008, she was announced by the Amarillo College Foundation Inc. as a Partner Level Lifetime Philanthropist, and the same year was received a Golden Nail award from the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce. The UW Community Chest Society also named her to the "La Société Nationale" for her ongoing commitments to the organization and community.
Throughout her life, Landess has been a member and served on various committees for the First Presbyterian Church of Amarillo, which she says has priority and an important role in her life. Landess said that over the past few years, she prefers to continue to support these organizations that serve the community she loves, but she does serve in less leadership roles and more roles as a volunteer, attendee or contributor to the many organizations she supports.
"All of these organizations have been meaningful. When you branch out and aren't just containing your life to yourself, and see what others can do, you get to meet all people of all walks of life and see how much the people in this community care about each other, and it makes me proud to say I live in Amarillo," Landess said.
The former Woman of the Year said that she loves the Amarillo area community and wants to continue to support it and see it thrive in anyway she can, and she plans to continue to do so until she can't anymore.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Claudette Landess shows love for Amarillo with lifelong contributions
