Obituary of Willis McLeese

Passed away on Wednesday January 5, 2011 in his 98th year. Devoted husband of Adelaide, great supporter and mentor of Rob (Rosemary), very proud grandfather of Paul, Geoffrey and Stephen. He was the only child of Alexander Stewart McLeese and Jesse Pearl (nee Weaver) McLeese. Willis was married to Dr. Adelaide Fleming, formerly of Halifax, for 61 years. They met in Toronto, after he served in the Navy as an Engineering Officer in the North Atlantic. Following the war, Willis developed an industrial refrigeration business for John Inglis Co. with shops and offices across Canada. In 1957 he became President of Trans Canada Freezers which grew and by 1979 acquired United States Cold Storage with 57 plants in Canada and the U.S. He served 26 years as a Director and Officer of International Utilities and Chaired the Board's Audit Committee. When Willis reached the age of 90, another public company Board changed their bylaws to increase the mandatory retirement age to 117 to facilitate Willis' continuing involvement. In 1982, he initiated the development of a biomass fuelled electric generating station in California which provides power to about 50,000 homes. That business has grown to include locations in Pennsylvania, Utah and Montana. The consummate entrepreneur, at 85 with his son by his side, Willis dreamed up the vision of Cobble Beach, an extraordinary world class golf resort community on the shores of Georgian Bay, just north of Owen Sound. He was a major supporter of Georgian Riding Association for Challenged Equestrians (GRACE) in Owen Sound. He had a strong passion for student debating. Over the last 35 year, he was instrumental in the development of the Canadian Student Debating Federation. Special thanks to Dr. McCall and the Meaford General Hospital staff for their compassionate care. A service will be held in TIMOTHY EATON MEMORIAL CHURCH, 230 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto (M4V 1R5) on Wednesday, January 12 at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to GRACE Georgian Riding Association for Challenged Equestrians (GRACE), P. O. Box 992, Owen Sound N4K 6H6 or Timothy Eaton Memorial Church would be gratefully appreciated.