Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....McLeod, Verland Van 2002
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Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net December 17, 2009, 7:33 pm

Ionia Sentinel Standard, 16 Apr 2002

Verland Van McLeod, 79, of Lyons, died unexpectedly Sat., April 13, 2002, at 
his farm home on Keefer Highway.

Mr. McLeod, a lifelong farmer in the area, was born in Antrim County, the son 
of Guy and Floy (Van Houten) McLeod.  He was descended from original Ionia 
County settlers.  His great-grandfather, James Marsh, purchased the farmstead 
in Orange Township in 1836.  His Scottish forebear, great-grandfather George 
McLeod arrived in 1842, and his maternal great-grandparents settled in Sebewa 
Township in 1841.

His family returned to the area soon after his birth, living briefly in 
Mulliken and Grand Ledge before returning to Ionia County.  He grew up on the 
family farm on Kelsey Highway, attended LeValley School and graduated from 
Ionia High School in 1940.

Following World War II, he and his brother Roswell, purchased a farm on Keefer 
Highway, and he lived there until the time of his death.  He was active in the 
Junior Farm Bureau at both state and national levels, and served as state 
president of the organization in 1946-47.

In addition to farming, Mr. McLeod had a wide range of interests and was well-
known for his knowledge about Native American culture.  He had participated in 
several archeological searches throughout central and western Michigan, 
collaborating with researchers at both the University of Michigan and Michigan 
State University.

He believed in sharing his collected knowledge with young people, and 
contributed many hours of his time speaking to elementary school children about 
Native American culture and customs in the Grand River Valley.  Mr. McLeod had 
a talent for memorizing poetry, and like his father before him, often recited 
entire, lengthy poems at group gatherings.

He had a great appreciation of his Scottish heritage, and early in life learned 
to dance the Highland Fling.

Mr. McLeod also had an extensive knowledge of the Civil War and had visited 
many of its battle sites, and had explored several of its lesser known areas of 
conflict.

He was a member of the LeValley Methodist Church, Ionia County Farm Bureau, 
Clan MacLeod Society, USA and several archeological associations.

In 1972 he and Carol Smith Young were married at the First Presbyterian Church 
in Ionia by Dr. Fred Graham of East Lansing.  She died in 1990.

He was also predeceased by his parents; and a sister, Velva Johnson of 
Brandenton, Fla.

Survivors include one sister, Coralane Boyes of Ionia; a brother, Roswell; and 
several nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday at LeValley Methodist 
Church.  Memorial gifts may be made to Ionia Area Hospice, or the Dunvegan 
Foundation of Clan MacLeod Society, both in care of Cook Funeral Home in Ionia.


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