ROBERT E. MCLEOD
September 25, 1952 - February 21, 2002
Robert E. McLeod passed away at 4:20pm on Thursday, February 21, 2002.
He will be cremated and there will be no services.
He was born September 25, 1952 Columbus, Ohio oldest of the four
children of Maribel and Ralph McLeod
June 1971 - graduated from high school
September 1971 - December 1973 attended Ohio State University
December 1973 - Enlisted in the United States Army in Military Police
1974 to January 1977 - Stationed at Presidio of San Francisco, California.
A member of the Color Guard unit, he participated in many ceremonies and
parades in the San Francisco area. He also participated in the year-long 1976
Bicentennial Celebration of our nation's birth at Fort Point and in Operation
Babylift.
September 25, 1975 Married Diane Marie Gagnon of Bandon, Oregon in San
Francisco, California
January 1977 to June 1977 - Switched career fields to Pharmacy Technician
attending the course at the U.S. Army Academy of Health Sciences, Fort Sam
Houston, Texas
June 1977 to December 1986 - Stationed at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam
Houston, Texas
January 1987 to September 1991 - Stationed at Tripler Army Medical Center,
Honolulu, Hawaii
September 1991-December 1995 - Stationed at the U.S. Army Academy of Health
Sciences, Fort Sam Houston, Texas as a Pharmacy Technician Course Instructor
December 1995 - Retired with honors from U.S. Army with 22 years service.
He received many military awards including Soldier of the Year while stationed
at Tripler.
December 1995 to December 2001 worked full or part-time at University Health
Care Downtown, San Antonio, Texas
September 1996 to December 1998 attended University of Texas at Austin
Pharmacy School
January 5, 2001 - diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme - a grade IV brain
tumor. During the year, he had two brain surgeries and radiation treatment
never losing his abilities or sense of humor. He remained functional and happy
for many more months than the doctors ever expected. February 21, 2002 - after
a blessedly short period of illness, passed away in San Antonio, Texas.
Bob was a sweet, gentle, and loving person who got along with everyone.
He made many friends wherever he went. He spent many years studying Tae-Kwon
Do, competing in tournaments and achieved a third degree black belt in the
sport. In later years, he very much enjoyed his Scottish heritage, engaging in
Scottish Athletics and competing quite successfully there as well although he
got far more enjoyment from introducing others to the sport.
Very handsome in his MacLeod of Lewis tartan kilt, he also attended
Renaissance faires where he was a very popular photographic attraction with
his 5' two-handed sword. All through the years, he very much enjoyed his
woodworking, making many beautiful objects both large and small. He also
enjoyed playing Dungeons & Dragons both as a player and as a Dungeon
Master.
He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Diane McLeod; his father, Ralph
McLeod of Kirkersville, Ohio; his brother, Fred McLeod of Pataskala, Ohio; his
sister, Donna Ruark of Pataskala, Ohio and his sister, Christine Borgen of
Bloomer, Wisconsin, and multiple nieces and nephews.
(You may have received these, but just in case we wanted to share all these
beautiful thought of Bob)
As the rain falls outside my
window, I can't help but know that the skies weep for the loss of a truly
lovely and special man, but I feel a sense of comfort in knowing that the
thunder that I hear is the rumble of a caber landing perfectly in the heavens
up above. Robert will always be remembered for his sparklingly warm smile, his
deeply cheerful laugh, his legendary big bear hugs and his positive outlook on
life. Texas Scottish festivals wll never be the same without him and his
majestic McLeod kilt and HUGE sword-- we are all better people for having had
him in our lives, no matter how briefly. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Please stay in touch.
Julie...................................................................................................................
Many of you may not be aware that in
April, 2000, Bob McLeod spent a very long, drizzly day demonstrating Scottish
Athletics at a Girl Scout event that saw 6,000 participants! He was the
hit of the day! For weeks
following, girls and their leaders reported to the GS office how very
much
they enjoyed this demonstration, how much they learned, and how FUN he was!
A photograph of Bob with a
cute Brownie Girl Scout and a Native American in full ceremonial dress was
even featured on a Girl Scout recruitment flyer that reached the homes of
thousands and thousands of little girls! In April 2002 there will be
another such event for the Girl Scout council, and literally hundreds of
requests have been coming in for months to be SURE to have the "nice man
in the kilt" back again.
I have always thought of Bob as a "gentle giant." His
size was awesome,
but a gentler, kinder man I have never known. Now, as time marches on
and takes with it our dear friend, time cannot erase the memories so many have
of him.
Diane, we love you and feel this great loss with you. I hope you find
comfort in knowing how dearly he was loved, by so many people.
Fondly, Nancy & Bob Dirkes
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I saw Bob on Tuesday and said goodbye.
I thanked him for teaching me about the Games and especially for sharing his
love of the Games with me. I have only known Bob for one short, precious
moment of his life,
but I have come to love him.
I met Bob such a short time ago on Veterans' Day, 1999 at the Salado Games.
I showed up to watch and ended up fetching cabers for the girls. Bob
walked up that asphalt path on the Robertson Ranch with his head
above the crowd, gloriously bedecked in yellow and black tartan with that
massive Claymore angled across his back, and that wonderful beard jutting out
in front of him; he looked unstoppable.
Bob was showing some little ones that sword, letting them hold it and feel its
weight, and then showing them how it was used. I knew immediately that
Bob loved teaching people how to do things.
He taught me to love the Games. He taught me to keep trying; he shouted
out in joy and triumph the first time I turned one of those wiggly McLeod
cabers. He taught me that even "old guys" can play, and why
it's
called re-creation. He taught me that the aches and pains of aging don't
have to stop me; that pain can be subsumed in joy.
Forever more, in Texas, when men gather for tests of strength and prowess,
when the swirl of the kilts flash before me and the skirl of the pipes
fill the air, when I see that bold McLeod tartan or feel the
comradery of the Highland Heavies, in that Brigadoon moment when the heather
feels at home with the cactus, I'll know that Bob is there, and I'll hear
his clear strong voice booming from the heavens, "You've got
another throw in you! Long and strong now, long and strong. "
12:00 Bob, straight up!
Thank you my friend.
Wilson Plunkett, 2/22/02
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We were deeply saddened to hear of
Bob's death and words at a time like this are hard to come by. Bob was a good
friend and teacher to all. He taught us all about life and then taught us how
to die. I remember teaching with Bob at the academy and how he
spent so much of his own time trying to pass on the secrets of chemistry and
math to some troubled
students. To mirror something that Roy stated, I never heard Bob say something
negative about anyone (even the bumbling individuals that helped him pour the
floor of his workshop!!)
Playing Dungeon's and Dragons with Bob aka Rokolaka was always an
adventure. My character, the priest, and Rokolaka did not always see eye to
eye on certain situations, but I always felt safe knowing he was
nearby. One evening he came to my house in his kilt and sword. When my
doorbell rang my daughter ran to the door and opened it only to find a giant
of a bearded man with a huge sword pointed at her. Bob
immediately began apologizing as he thought I would answer the door.
Go forward Rokolaka, there are Hill Giants ahead. Take care of them
before we get there. Thorden go with you!
Schlafvertiefung mein Bruder
God bless you Diane. Our door in Germany is always
open to you. You are a very blessed woman to have had
the priveledge of having been with Bob.
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