Long Beach, East Williston teacher William Van Dyke dies

Jim Houlios said he looked around the room at his stepson's wake on Saturday and was amazed at the sheer number of lives he had touched.

"I have never seen so many people at a funeral in my life," Houlios said. "Maybe for a president's funeral, but not for an ordinary teacher."

Family and friends say William "Bill" Van Dyke was anything but ordinary.

The dedicated teacher and beloved uncle died on Wednesday following intestinal surgery in St. Joseph Hospital in Bethpage. He was 55.

Those close to him describe him as someone who was full of life, fiercely dedicated to his career as a teacher, and perhaps a bit of a neat freak.

Van Dyke taught French and Spanish for 28 years at Long Beach Middle School and Long Beach High School, eventually becoming the head of the foreign language department. He then spent five years as the director of foreign languages for the East Williston school district before retiring last school year, his family said.

His sister Diane Greco, 53, of Wantagh, said Van Dyke had wanted to be a teacher since he was 9 years old. She added that, growing up, he would pretend to be a teacher while waiting for the day that he could begin his career in education.

SEE PHOTOSNotable deaths: Long Islanders we recently lost

"He was probably the most fun teacher anyone could have had," said Sara Zeltzman, 17, who was taught French by Van Dyke for two years at The Wheatley School in the East Williston school district.

Friends and family say his sense of humor and his inclination to clean and organize everything always got those around him laughing.

"You knew it was time to go home when Bill brought out his cleaning supplies," joked Julie Jacobson, 43, a fellow foreign language teacher at The Wheatley School.

Colleagues said that Van Dyke always went out of his way to take under his wing students and teachers who were new, less popular in the school community, or just having a difficult time.

"I think especially for those of us who were awkward and small he gave us a way of thinking about ourselves as grown-ups," said James Stillwaggon, who was in Van Dyke's seventh-grade French class in 1987 at Long Beach Middle School.

Stillwaggon, now 35, said he still remembers the day Van Dyke comforted him after he performed "disastrously" in a wrestling match.

"I cried my eyes out after the meet and it was his shoulder that I cried on," he said.

Van Dyke grew up in Wantagh and graduated from Wantagh High School. His family said he earned an associate degree in education from Nassau Community College and bachelor's and master's degrees from Hofstra University.

In addition to Greco, Van Dyke is survived by his parents Betty and Jim Houlios of Wantagh, his sister Susan Doorhy of Malibu, Calif., two nephews and one niece.

Arrangements for private cremation are not complete.