Obituary of Dave McLelland

To view the livestream and recording of the service, please click here

Dad went to his Heavenly reward on July 8, 2023 in his 88th year.

He is survived by his adult children Heather MacDonald (Walter) and Lynn.  Also survived by his two grandchildren Robert (Laura and their son, Wyatt) and Karen, and his current best friend and partner Betty Berlet.

He is predeceased by his parents James McLelland (1965) and Mary nee Duncan (1996), his son Glenn (2023), and his beloved best friend and wife for over 56 years Mary Ruth nee Radcliffe (2015). Mom and Dad met at university.

Dad was hired by the KW High School Board in 1958 and began teaching Science at KCI. He became Department Head and as a VP in 1966 helped open GRCI. He was a VP at WODSS from 1970-1974. The following school year he was an Acting Superintendent at the Board Office. Following four months as a VP at FHCI, he returned to the Board Office for the balance of his career as a Superintendent of Schools, Area Superintendent and Superintendent of Curriculum and Program Development for his last fourteen years retiring June 30, 1993. He enjoyed a fantastic professional career touching the lives of many people.

When Dad came to this area, he fell in love with the community and was very involved, especially in athletics.

He started coaching with “Learn to Skate” at Queensmount Arena and then coached and managed hockey teams for KMHA for many years. When girls’ fastball needed a coach, he responded and was involved at the bantam, midget, junior and senior Kieswetters levels as well as the Waterloo Ghosts. In the mid-nineties, he helped with the Waterloo Twins senior men’s team. He also coached intercounty baseball. Dad was one of six fathers who started Forest Hill T-ball in the late sixties.

During the 80’s and 90’s he was involved in various capacities with seven Canadian Fastball Championships. Dad chaired three of these – Junior Women’s in 1989, Senior Men’s in 1993 and Midget Boys’ in 1999. Dad went to St. Joseph, Missouri in 2000 to present a successful bid to bring the ISC Senior Men’s World Fastball Championship to Ontario (Kitchener) for the first time in 2002.  At this event, he did radio broadcasts of the games to Broken Bow, Nebraska.

Dad became a Director with the Kitchener Rangers Hockey team in the mid-seventies until 2001 and then an Honourary Director until the present. In the late nineties, he initiated the current banner program in the roof of the Aud. and started the Kitchener Rangers Alumni Association. Mom and Dad were collectors. One collection was of Rangers memorabilia which was donated to the Rangers. The Rangers honoured Dad and our family by naming the Rangers Hall of History “McLelland Hall”.

He volunteered with Rogers TV for approximately thirty years. During this time, he was a member of the team that covered Kitchener Rangers home games and did numerous interviews of Rangers alumni. In the mid-nineties he co-produced and directed fifteen one-hour programs called “Believing in Education” which featured various people and programs provided by the Waterloo Board of Education. He also provided radio and television coverage of many fastball games in KW.

Dad received a number of awards including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal for his involvement in minor sports.

Dad was a member of the Kitchener Sports Association, the Athlete of the Year Committee, the Award of Excellence Committee, the local Postcard Club, the Kinsmen TV Auction Committee and the Kitchener Conestoga Probus Club.

He believed in the power of prayer, the value of reading and studying the Bible and worshipping God. He was a man of Faith and attended Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church.

The family will welcome friends to the visitation at Erb and Good Funeral Home on Thursday, July 13, 2023 from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm. The service will be held in the chapel of the funeral home on Friday, July 14 at 11:00 am.  Reception to follow in the Fireside Room.  All are welcome.   Burial will occur at Williamsburg Cemetery following the reception.  A livestream and recording of the service will be available on Dave’s tribute page at www.erbgood.com

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Alzheimer’s Society, or Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church, East Avenue in Kitchener would be appreciated and can be arranged at www.erbgood.com