Passing of George Wilson Macleod

George Wilson Macleod

Lineage: A. Garrard Macleod 1898, George Duncan Macleod 1865, John McLeod 1807, Malcom Mcleod 1785, Malcom McLeod 1740)

March 21, 1938 – November 3, 2022

“I’ve had a good life” were the final words of the man we called brother, husband, father, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. Teaching and learning were lifelong pursuits for George – from science and nature to history to fixing things around the house.  There was nothing George didn’t accomplish once he decided to take on a project.  He wasn’t one to do things half-hearted and lived by the motto of doing things right the first time.  Most importantly, anyone who knew George remembers him as a kind and caring individual who did not hesitate to help those in need and though he enjoyed his solitude, his gift was his generous spirit and helping hand.

The youngest of four boys, George was born during the depression in New York City.  The Macleod family moved to Kalamazoo in 1939 where George resided until his death.  His athletic career started at a young age where he excelled at shot put in Junior High School.  George was a three sport athlete at Kalamazoo Central High School, playing football, basketball, and track.  He continued his athletic career at Kalamazoo College where he was a member of the football and track team.  After receiving his BA degree from Kalamazoo College, George continued his education at Michigan State University and received an MS degree in Zoology and Botany along with a Teacher Certification.  In the fall of 1962, he was hired by Parchment Public Schools to teach 7th and 8th grade science, coach 5th-8th grade basketball teams, and assisted with coaching the varsity high school football team.  The following year, George moved to the high school to teach biology classes where he remained teaching for 32 years.  His summer months were spent painting houses with his good friend and teaching colleague, Ron Ruster.  In 1992, George was selected as “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers – The best teachers in America selected by the best students” and in 2020 he was inducted into the Parchment Community Hall of Fame.

Family and community were important to George.  He married the love of his life, Linda Kaye Tifft, in August 1962.  They had two sons, Kenneth (Devida) Macleod and Robb (Apryl) Macleod.  George loved being involved in family activities and was fortunate to be an active participant in the lives of his nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  He was also an active member of the community. At Stockbridge United Methodist church, he was the historian, basketball coach, and member of the Asbury group.  He was a member of the Kalamazoo Antique Bottle Club, Kalamazoo Antiques Club, librarian for the Kalamazoo Audubon Society, President of the Kalamazoo Science Foundation, Historian for the West Main Hill Neighborhood Association, and volunteered for the Western Michigan University Archives.

George had a love for all natural things.  In 1970, George and Linda purchased 10 acres outside of Hastings, Michigan.  This land, affectionately known as “The Farm”, was a retreat from the busy city life where the family could learn about wildflowers, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.  George loved to share this special place and teach others about the unique wonders of nature. While the Macleod household was not known to have traditional pets, there was an abundant supply of unique pets, including rats, tarantula, snakes, and turtles.

George Macleod leaves behind many family and friends, including his wife, two sons and daughters in law, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.  He is also survived by his brothers, Garrard (Moira) Macleod and Robert Macleod.  George was preceded in death by one brother, David (Mary) Macleod and his father A. Garrard Macleod and mother Margaret Macleod.

Life is not always roses, but it’s not always hurricanes either.  George looked at life through the lens of roses while recognizing the presence of hurricanes.  In choosing roses, he was able to say, “I’ve had a good life”, and that is what he would have wished for everyone.

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Passing of Mary Macleod

Age 77, passed away on January 17, 2020. She was born on November 19, 1942, the fifth of nine children born to Glenn and Alma Moored in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She grew up on a rambling 90-acre farm on Joy Road in Plymouth, Michigan. Mary attended a one room school in Dixboro, Michigan and later graduated from University High in Ann Arbor Michigan. She was a member of Dixboro United Methodist church where she sang in the choir along with several of her siblings. Upon graduation from high school Mary began working at Follet’s bookstore, where she met her husband-to-be, David Cameron Macleod. She later attended Kalamazoo Valley Community College where she carried a perfect 4.0 GPA, which made her very proud. Together with David, they moved to Boston, MA to follow David’s teaching career and soon moved to Valparaiso, Indiana where their two children Eric and Laura were born. The family later moved to Marquette, Michigan, then to Escanaba, Michigan and then to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan where they remained for nine years. Economic conditions forced a final move to Kalamazoo, Michigan where she and David lived for the rest of their lives in order to be closer to family in the area. Professionally, Mary worked in a variety of locations including dental offices where she was a dental assistant. She and David developed MacHandyman, a handy-man service she ran together with David until the end of his days actively working. She concluded her work life at the Cracker Barrell store where she thoroughly enjoyed her coworkers and customers. Mary was an active volunteer beginning with her work at the PTA, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Safety Commission in Sault Ste. Marie. She later served as a community phone tree coordinator and helped organize antique automotive events together with her husband. Among Mary’s proudest achievements was serving as her husband David’s caregiver as he struggled with Parkinson’s disease during the end of his life. She was by his bedside almost continuously for the last year of his life, a sign of her devotion to, and love for, him. Mary is survived by her son Eric (Tara) Macleod, daughter Laura (AJ) Vaughn, four grandchildren, Megan Vaughn, Devinn Hillman, Olivia Macleod and Amelia Macleod, her brother Alan (Joan) Moored, her sisters Karen Moored and Lois (Brian) Kyte, brothers-in-law, Garrard (Moira) Macleod, Robert Macleod, George (Linda) Macleod, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband David (2017), parents Glenn and Alma Moored, brother Glenn (Jim) Moored, sister Geraldine (Gerry) Seyfried, sister Linda Moored, brother Ivan Moored and brother Roy Moored.

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Passing of David Cameron Macleod

David Cameron Macleod (Lineage: A. Garrard Macleod 1898, George Duncan Macleod 1865, John McLeod 1807, Malcom Mcleod 1785, Malcom McLeod 1740) was the third of four sons born to A. Garrard and Margaret Macleod of New York, New York. The family moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1939 so his father could pursue an employment opportunity with the Upjohn Company.

David was very proud to be a student of West Main Elementary, Woodward Jr. High and Central High School in Kalamazoo. He attended Kalamazoo College and later graduated from the University of Michigan with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree. He was a loyal U of M fan who could boisterously sing the Michigan fight song on command.

At the University of Michigan, David experienced two life changing events. First, he became involved in the peace movement, presenting a student written proposal to Presidential Candidate John F. Kennedy that would later lead to the founding of the Peace Corps. He also met his wife-to-be, Mary Jane Moored at Follet’s Book Store.

Between terms at Kalamazoo College and the University of Michigan David served in a role as community ambassador for an exhibit entitled Kalamazoo and How it Grew, traveling around Britain with the exhibit. He would often talk wistfully of his time in Europe and always wanted to return.

David was very active with the formation of the Swords into Plowshares Peace Center at Western Michigan University, considering the founding of this institution as a fruition of a lifelong dream. Always a peace activist, David worked toward establishing a world both free of the threat of war and working in the direction of inclusiveness and justice for all.
Professionally, David started his work as “filthy MacNasty,” lightheartedly describing his time fueling the blast furnace at Buckley Steel as life changing. He recalled a conversation with the full-time fireman who encouraged him to attend college and study hard as a means of avoiding a career of such manual labor, a conversation David took very much to heart.

Upon graduation from the University of Michigan, David began work with the Kalamazoo City Planner’s office, moving from there to a teaching job at State College at Boston, in Boston Massachusetts. Later he moved to Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana where his children were both born. David’s career then took him to Marquette, Michigan to work at Northern Michigan University then to Escanaba, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan working with the Boy Scouts of America and as a Real Estate Agent. A lackluster economy in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan brought David and his family full circle to Kalamazoo where he worked as a Realtor before returning to academia at Nazareth College, Lake Michigan Community College and at Western Michigan University. Perhaps his most successful career path came when he developed MacHandyman, a handy-man service he and his wife Mary ran together until the end of his days actively working.

David’s lifelong loves included the outdoors, exercise, walking, running, writing, and “tinkering” with his 1926 Ford, a car he and his brother George bought as teenagers. David was a man with a profound sense of right and wrong and was never afraid to stand up when he sensed an act of wrongfulness or injustice. David seemed capable of fixing anything and everything. This included electrical equipment, snow shoes and relationships between people. He was once instrumental in determining his own medical diagnosis while lying in a hospital bed. As such he found Parkinson’s disease particularly perplexing as it seemed to be the one thing beyond his reason and understanding.

David Macleod leaves behind many friends and family who will miss him terribly. Survivors include his wife, Mary; son, Eric (Tara) Macleod and daughter, Laura (AJ) Vaughn. He is also survived by his brothers, Garrard (Moira) Macleod, Robert Macleod and George (Linda) Macleod. He has four grandchildren, Megan Vaughn, Devinn Hillman, Olivia Macleod and Amelia Macleod, and numerous nieces and nephews. David was preceded in death by his father A. Garrard Macleod and his mother Margaret Macleod.

From Laura Macleod Vaughn:

“My Dad wanted to take one more ride in his beloved 1926 Model T… unfortunately, he was too weak for us to get him in the car before he died.  My brother was able to get the car going the day of Dad’s Celebration of Life.  We placed Dad’s ashes in the passenger seat and Eric gave him a ride to his event where all his loves were there to celebrate this incredible man!  I captured the ride, which turned out to be very emotional. Dad has had this car since he was a teenager and many of our families special moments centered around this car.  Thank you, brother Eric for making this happen! Rest easy, sweet Dad!”

From Eric Macleod:

“One of my Dad’s final wishes was for just one more ride in his T, a car that had been part of his life since he was 15.  Unfortunately, he had deteriorated to a point where we just couldn’t get him in the car.  The ride was one small way to honor that wish.  I swear he was with me as I worked to start the car.”

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Passing of Stephen Charles Logan

Stephen Charles Logan passed away April 20th, 2015.  Steve was the dearly loved husband of Robyn (McLeod) Logan (Lineage: Malcom 1913 > Malcom 1888 > Malcom 1849 > Donald 1816 > Malcom 1785 > Malcom 1740).

Stephen_Charles_Logan1950_Funeral_Announcment_web

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Passing of Susan Lorraine McLeod

Susan Lorraine McLeod (Lineage: Malcom 1913 > Malcom 1888 > Malcom 1849 > Donald 1816 > Malcom 1785 > Malcom 1740) passed away on Sunday, November 2nd. View a tribute to Susan by her daughter Tiffany here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOclSuIggDM

 

Robyn (McLeod) Logan, Steve Logan, Susan McLeod

Robyn (McLeod) Logan, Steve Logan, Susan McLeod

Susan Lorraine McLeod Funeral Notice in the Sydney Morning Herald

Susan Lorraine McLeod Funeral Notice in the Sydney Morning Herald

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David and Mary Macleod Celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary

David Cameron Macleod (Lineage: A. Garrard Macleod 1898, George Duncan Macleod 1865, John McLeod 1807, Malcom Mcleod 1785, Malcom McLeod 1740) and Mary Jane Moored celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on August 24, 2013.

David and Mary Macleod

David and Mary Macleod

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George and Linda Macleod celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary

George Wilson Macleod (Lineage: A. Garrard Macleod 1898, George Duncan Macleod 1865, John McLeod 1807, Malcom Mcleod 1785, Malcom McLeod 1740) and Linda Kaye Tifft celebrated their 50th wedding Anniversary on August 4th, 2012 at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute.

Front Row: David Cameron Macleod, Mary Macleod, Moria Macleod, Garrard Davis Macleod Back Row: Robert Malcolm Macleod, George Wilson Macleod, Linda Macleod

Front Row: David Cameron Macleod, Mary Macleod, Moria Macleod, Garrard Davis Macleod
Back Row: Robert Malcolm Macleod, George Wilson Macleod, Linda Macleod

George Wilson Macleod and Linda Kaye Tifft 50th Wedding Anniversary

George Wilson Macleod and Linda Kaye Tifft 50th Wedding Anniversary

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