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Ian Waite McLandress died on Dec. 27, 2020, in Boulder, Colo. Ian is survived by his parents, John and Catherine McLandress, and his sister, Isabelle (Biz) McLandress of Hood River, Ore., and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He is also survived by his grandparents, Barbara Barnett Young and Gary Young (Hood River), Robert and Barbara McLandress (Chino Valley, Ariz.), John Grosshuesch and Rhonda Rizzo (Appleton, Wisc.) and his great-grandmother, Jacqueline Waite Catlin (Neenah, Wisc.). He is preceded in death by his grandmothers, Jaime Shipman Grosshuesch and Joanne Weller McLandress, and his grandfather, Philip Waite Dutcher. He also leaves behind very beloved aunts, uncles and cousins, as well as many dear friends from all over the world.
Ian was born in Hood River on Sept. 5, 2000. He lived in Hood River until the age of 7, when his family moved to Saudi Arabia to begin a life of international school teaching and learning. He remained in Saudi Arabia until returning to the United States for high school. At the time of his death, Ian was living and working in Boulder.
Due to growing up internationally, Ian had the good fortune of traveling to 25 countries on four continents. His parents, sister and grandparents hold the memories of their many shared experiences very close to their hearts as they learn to live without him.
Wherever Ian went, he seemed to take his love for animals (particularly reptiles) with him. While living in Saudi Arabia, he rescued countless turtles, tortoises and even hedgehogs who had lost their way. His huge hands were capable of offering protection to the smallest and most fragile of creatures. In addition to his love for everything creepy, crawly or squirmy, Ian adored his two Labrador retrievers, Axl and Ozzy. He could often be seen with them on long walks at night, headphones on, listening to anything from punk to heavy metal to a David Sedaris audiobook.
Ian taught himself to play the guitar in middle school and developed a love for playing, performing and songwriting that would continue through his lifetime. He was a devoted fan of so many musicians, from aging rockers to emo rappers. Ian truly delighted in concert-going and had the chance to see Black Sabbath with Ozzie Osborne in Abu Dhabi and Guns and Roses in Dubai, along with many other acts in the United States.
Ian possessed numerous passions and will be remembered for so many of them: Guitar music, looking out for the underdog, an incredible work ethic, gifted athleticism, irreverent humor, his love of a good story, hi-jinx and pranks, encyclopedic reptile knowledge, an appreciation for well-prepared food, mountain biking, his dogs, and particularly, his devotion to his family and friends. What and whom Ian loved, he loved with every bit of his heart.
Ian tried incredibly hard to fight the demons which so often plague the very sensitive and creative among us. In the end, it was just too much. His family hopes to always remember Ian for all the light he brought into the world, and not for the shadows that stole him from it. They encourage all who read this and knew Ian to do the same.
Ian always spoke his mind, and even if what he said came out inappropriate, it was simply his opinion, with often no malice behind it, and sometimes it was done just to get a rise out of you. I will miss your person but never your spirit, Lawrence...
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Ian always spoke his mind, and even if what he said came out inappropriate, it was simply his opinion, with often no malice behind it, and sometimes it was done just to get a rise out of you. I will miss your person but never your spirit, Lawrence...
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.