William (Bill) Mc Leod

William Wilfred (Bill) McLeod passed away peacefully Monday, March 4, 2024, in Plano, Texas. He was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife of 58 years, Betty.

Bill was born November 30, 1927, the second of four children. While he was born in Michigan, he spent his childhood and youth in Margaree, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada on a farm and in a house his grandparents had built.

During World War II as Bill was working in the farm fields, he became infatuated with watching the never-ending stream of heavy bombers passing overhead in route to combat in Europe. This would begin his lifelong passion to fly. A few months after seeing the planes, he knew he had to follow his dream, so in 1946 he left Nova Scotia at age 18 for the United States. Four days after his arrival in Detroit, Bill registered for the draft, joined the United States Army Air Force, and was sent to San Antonio, Texas. He spent several years as an Airframe and Powerplant mechanic, slowly leading him closer to his dream of being a pilot. He became a Flight Engineer on B-29 bombers at age 24.

Bill was accepted into and began flight training in 1952 and graduated in 1953 as a 2nd Lieutenant the USAF. In February 1954, he was awarded his silver Pilots wings and Instrument Pilot card. After many years of hard work, training and sacrifice, his lifelong dream had come true!

While assigned to Perrin Air Force Base in Sherman, Texas, Bill met the love of his life, Betty Jean Kirby who he married October 6, 1956. Eventually, the young couple moved to Hahn Air Base in West Germany, where their sons William Bruce and Malcolm Brett were born. Betty and Bill were able to visit many beautiful sites in Europe like Paris, the World’s Fair in Brussels, and skied the Alps. Bill spent 6 years overseas flying all weather interceptors against the Russians during the height of the Cold War.

Bill was promoted to Captain in 1960 and the young family moved back to the US, landing in San Antonio where Bill was based at Lackland Air Force Base. Betty and Bill’s third son, Wilfred Scott, was born not long after.

They weren’t in San Antonio very long before Bill got transferred to Space Track with NORAD in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Eventually the entire operation of Space Track was moved inside Cheyenne Mountain where Bill tracked satellites and flew on the weekends.

After 20 years of service to his country, Bill retired from his beloved Air Force on November 30, 1966, his 39th birthday. His career in the Air Force took him all over the world, from Goose Bay, Labrador to Japan to Germany and countless places in between. Bill loved the United States and especially the Air Force, continuing to salute the flag he flew in his front yard every day until he and Betty moved to a retirement facility.

Bill and Betty packed up their family and moved to Sherman, Texas, where Bill began working for Levi Strauss in Denison as a Quality Control Manager. He was quickly promoted, revamping plants that were in trouble and opening new production facilities. His career with Levi moved him and his family to Amarillo, Wichita Falls, Albuquerque, Amarillo (again) and finally to Fayetteville, Arkansas. He retired from Levis in 1983, and he and Betty moved to San Antonio, as the boys were now grown and all three in college.

Bill and Betty purchased a motorhome and traveled far and wide visiting family and friends across the U.S and Canada. Bill also joined the Shriners, learned to play the bagpipes and marched in many parades as a Highlander. As their sons began to get married and have kids, Bill and Betty wanted to be closer, so in 1996 they moved to Murphy, Texas.

Bill had an incredible talent for woodworking, creating items in his workshop, everything from a McLeod family cradle that each of his grandkids and his great grandson slept in, to charcuterie and cutting boards to ink pens. His pieces are true works of art. He continued his passion for woodworking until he was 95 years old spending many enjoyable hours in the workshop.

Bill had a zest for life that was palpable. He never met a stranger and always had a joke at the ready. He had a Highlander’s heart, a warrior’s spirit with boundless love and pride for his family. His love for family was followed by love for his many friends, duty, responsibility, honor, and country.

The family believes the following excerpt from a book by author Robert Coram perfectly describes Bill and his love for flying.

“There is no such thing as an ex-fighter pilot. Once a young man straps on a jet aircraft and climbs into the heavens to do battle, it sears his psyche forever. At some point he will hang up his flight suit – eventually they all do – and in the autumn of his years his eyes may dim, and he may be stooped with age. But ask him about his life, and his eyes flash, his back straightens, and his hands demonstrate aerial maneuvers, and every conversation begins with “There I was at …” and he is young again! He remembers the days when he sky-danced through the heavens, when he could press a button and summon the lightning and invoke the thunder, the days when he was a prince of the earth and lord of the heavens. He remembers his glory days and he is young again!”.

Bill is survived by his sons Bruce and wife, Yvette; Malcolm and wife, Julie; and Scott. His 6 grandchildren loved and adored him: Andrew and wife Madison, Will, Thomas, Kirby, Caleigh and Bradan. He was also blessed with one great grandson, Hunter.

Graveside services with Military Honors will be held at Dallas/Fort Worth National Cemetery Monday, March 25, 2024, at 1:15pm sharp.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Bill’s memory to the charity of your choice.