Roderick John McLeod

Roderick John McLeod was born in Vancouver General Hospital August 15, 1936, to John Edward (Jock) McLeod and Kathleen Hutton McLeod.  Dad was raised in Giscombe, BC with his four sisters Vera, Norma, Jean and Diane.  There wasn’t a high school in Giscombe, so Dad traveled to Prince George where he lived in a dormitory that originally was a WW2 barracks, complete with army bunkbeds, and the issued army blankets and pillows.  While in high school he joined the Rocky Mountain Rangers.  After graduating he joined the Royal Canadian Airforce 1956-1964.  One of his postings was in Alsace Loraine, France where he spent time getting in trouble with his cousin, Don McLeod. Shortly after returning to Canada, he met Ethel May Gill, and they were married in August 1960.

The family started with Roderick, followed by his five sisters Norma (Rori), Flora, Kathleen, Jean and Una. Dad volunteered for the Salmon Arm Rocky Mountain Rangers & BC Dragoon Cadets in Vernon.  He also was an instructor at the Vernon Arm Cadet Camp.  Salmon Arm was home for many years until Dad moved to Vernon, BC.

Dad became a jack-of-all trades and over the next 40 years met a wonderful and supportive group of friends.  One of his favourite jobs was working in Atlin, BC mining for gold.  He once found a 79-ounce gold nugget.  It was an easy decision when asked by Una to move to Diamond City to be near his grandchildren.  Dad who loves to tell stories and enjoys a good laugh would often say that he was in Diamond City for a week before Una moved to Lethbridge. Dad later moved to Lethbridge and found his forever home and connected with his Metis Culture.  Dad has been a Metis Elder for Local 2003 since 1998 to present. Over the years dad has gone to public schools, Lethbridge University, Bold Eagles camp, and community events with his large display of Metis artifacts to share his knowledge.  He sat on several boards with include Aboriginal Housing Society, Sik-oki-toki Friendship Centre, SHIA (Social Housing in Action), Opakassin Early Intervention Society, and Aboriginal Council of Lethbridge. 

At the age of 66, Dad gained his diploma for Child and Youth Care from the Lethbridge college.  A life-long learner Dad continued to take courses to increase his knowledge as a child and youth worker and on Indigenous cultures.   He worked for Family Ties association for 12 years where he worked on providing experience opportunities such as camping, horseback riding, hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing.  He also worked for Southern Alberta Community Living Association. During this time, he met Johnny Wolf-Child (Meatface).  John lived with dad since he was 12 years old, and it wasn’t long before John became part of the McLeod family. Dad and John had many adventures including travels to promote Metis learning and culture, and family trips to Mexico with Una and Roderick.

Dad had just completed a series of presentations at public schools and at the University of Lethbridge in October.  Since that time our family has been honoured to learn of how Dad was a big part of expanding the Metis Local 2003; we were also touched to learn how he made significant differences in peoples’ lives especially teens and young adults.  Our family would like to thank all the people who came to visit in  the hospital and then palliative care (and even do a jig and play the fiddle), the members of the Metis Local 2003, Monique Giroux, Jim Short and family, the compassionate doctors and nurses at Chinook Hospital, the amazing team at St. Michael’s Palliative Care, the compassionate doctors and nurses at Chinook hospital, and the welcoming community of Lethbridge.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Roderick John McLeod, please visit our floral store.