Prominent educator and psychologist Dr. Elliott Landau died May 25, 1991 of a pulmonary embolism. He was 66.
Dr. Landau, a specialist in child development, taught at the University of Utah's Graduate School of Education for more than 30 years. In 1968, he won the university's highest honor, the University Distinguished Teaching Award. He was also named to the National Council of Teachers of English Committee on Teaching of Children's Literature in Colleges and Universities and received a fellowship from the College of Instructors' Institute on Behavior Disorders in School Children. He also founded the Intermountain Conference on Childrens' Literature.He was a Deseret News columnist, author of several books and a commentator for both radio and television. Along with his teaching duties, Dr. Landau maintained a private practice of psychology and was a member of the American Psychological Association, a fellow of the American Orthopsychiatric Association and a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. During his later years, he studied and practiced clinical hypnosis and was a member of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis.
The psychologist was active in the community and in his church. He was appointed in 1985 to a four-year term as a member of the Utah Judicial Council Advisory Committee and was chairman of the advisory committee to the Second District Juvenile Court.
Although he considered himself "culturally and religiously a Jew," Dr. Landau converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he was chairman of the Child Committee of the General Board of the Sunday Schools for 10 years. He also served as high councilor in the Bonneville Stake and in the bishopric of the Yalecrest First Ward.
Dr. Landau was born July 2, 1925 in New York City. He was the son of the Herman and Bertha Kaplan Landau.
He came to Utah in 1955 after attending the Bronx High School of Science and New York University, where he received his doctorate in child development.