Dallas Morning News, The (TX) - Tuesday, March 18, 2003
Deceased Name: DON H. McLELAND Former FW parks boss, member of City Council
Don H. McLeland was aggressive and focused, qualities that made him successful in sports, business and public service. The city of Fort Worth tennis center on West Seminary Drive is named for the former Park Board president.

Mr. McLeland, 87, died Friday of a stroke at his Fort Worth home.

A memorial will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at University Christian Church, 2720 S. University Drive in Fort Worth. He will be buried in a private ceremony in Greenwood Cemetery before the memorial.

In 1959, Mr. McLeland was appointed president of the Fort Worth Park Board, now the Parks and Community Services Advisory Board. Three years later, he was appointed to fill a City Council vacancy. He served two years.

During his five years of public service, he oversaw recreational improvements, his family said.

Born in Sherman, Mr. McLeland grew up in Fort Worth, where he graduated from Central High School, now R.L. Paschal High School, in 1933. He received an athletic letter in basketball and was a district tennis champion.

From 1931 through 1938, he won 19 Fort Worth tennis championships as well as regional and state titles, his family said.

In 1937, he received a bachelor's degree in business from Texas Christian University, where he lettered in basketball and tennis.

He was a World War II Navy veteran and a commanding officer with the Navy Reserve until 1950.

In 1948, Mr. McLeland founded a residential door manufacturing company, McLeland-Harris Door Co., which he sold to Overhead Door Co. in 1966.

Mr. McLeland is survived by his wife, Helen Farrington McLeland of Fort Worth; daughters Sidney Reilly of Houston and Peggy McLeland of Alexandria, Va.; a son, Dan McLeland of Fort Worth; a brother, Kenneth McLeland of Fort Worth; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.