Obituary of Dougald Glenn Ross McLeod

Peacefully at University Hospital on September 2, 2025, in his 92nd year. Beloved husband of 63 years to Mary Jane McLeod. Glenn will be deeply missed by his sisters Linda Rigaux and Leslie (Peter) Jamieson; his six children Maureen, Diane, Doug, Maggie (Andrew), John, and Christine (Jeremy); eleven grandchildren Kira (Vanessa) and Mason, Laura (Clair), Stephanie (Taylor) and Derek (Vandana), Justine (Gabriel) and Nicole (Dan), Aphaia and Michael, Meagan (Jonathan), and Grace; and five great-grandchildren Ethan and Daniel, Gavin and Elowen, and Nolan. Born in Winnipeg on April 10, 1934, Glenn was the eldest of five siblings and is predeceased by brother Barry and sister Judy. He grew up in Oak Bank, Manitoba, attended high school in Winnipeg, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba (1958). At the University of Wisconsin, he completed his M.Sc. (1960) and Ph.D. in Entomology (1963). It was in Madison, Wisconsin that Glenn met and married Mary Jane. They moved to Chatham, Ontario where he began his career at Agriculture Canada, and then to London, Ontario, where they raised their family and became active members of St. John the Divine parish. In 1972, the family settled on William Street, where they lived in community with other families under the mentorship of Bishop Marcel Gervais. Around this time, Glenn joined his Men’s Group, who continue to meet today and have been a great support to each other over many years. Glenn’s life was driven by a commitment to social justice and he continually sought out opportunities where sharing his knowledge of agriculture could make a positive impact. After retiring from Agriculture Canada in 1995, Glenn and Mary Jane volunteered in Zambia for two years, followed by work in Central America with the Volunteer Missionary Movement. Back in London, he helped launch the Grow a Row program for the London Food Bank and gave generously of his time to the Community Gardens, Joseph’s House, the Cross Cultural Learner Centre, and South London Community Centre where he volunteered with the ESL program, and he and Mary Jane attended the Friday Lunch program, Breaking Down Barriers. He was active in Catholic Rural Life, Social Justice Committees, and was a foster parent with the Children’s Aid Society. For a quiet man, Glenn was a bit noisy - whistling everywhere he went. He loved baseball and hockey, beekeeping (honey in his morning coffee was the fruit of his labour), gardening, and reading in his recliner with his cat Buster. Glenn was a great listener, and enjoyed learning about people and their stories. A Celebration of Glenn’s life will be held on October 4, 2025 for close friends and family at Amica Senior Living with visitation from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. and sharing stories about Glenn from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Limited parking available on site; additional parking at No Frills next door. Thank you to Dr. Berry and the Palliative Care Team at UH. In lieu of flowers, donations in Glenn's name can be made to The London Food Bank https://londonfoodbank.ca/ "Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects." Dalai Lama