Laurence MacLeod

Laurence Raymond MacLeod passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at Touchmark Harwood Groves, Fargo. He was an incredibly kind man who touched the lives of many. 

Larry was born to Malcolm and Mary MacLeod in Crystal, ND, on August 29, 1922. He had three older siblings, Don, Bob and Francis. In 1934 Mary MacLeod passed. It was a difficult time for the family. Despite this, Larry excelled in both school and sports. 

 After graduating from high school in 1940, Larry received a scholarship to attend Jamestown College. It was short lived. WW II broke out and Larry enlisted in the Navy as a medic. “It’s a terrible thing to see men shot up. It was a really bad affair” Larry said of his D-Day experience.

After Normandy, Larry’s medical skills were needed in the Pacific theatre. His commander “strongly” recommended that he join the Marine Corp. His platoon was sent to fight in the battle of Iwo Jima.

After the war, Larry took advantage of the GI bill and attended Mayville State College. He received an undergraduate degree in education and played on the baseball and basketball teams. In 1950 and 1951, the Mayville Redcaps won consecutive state baseball championships. In 1987, Larry was inducted into the Mayville athletic hall of fame.

After graduation, he taught English and coached at Halstad High School, MN. In 1952 and 1953 the basketball and baseball teams placed 3rd and 1st respectively in the state high school championships. This was no small feat in those days because state tournaments often matched small town teams against much larger schools in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

As impressive as Larry’s coaching achievements were, his longest lasting achievement was convincing Marcella Jean Soeby from Walhalla, ND to marry him in 1952. Their marriage lasted 63 years.

In 1954, Larry was recruited by Moorhead State University (MSUM) to teach physical education and coach the baseball and basketball teams. The baseball program was discontinued several years after his arrival, but the basketball program prospered. He took a particular interest in his players’ wellbeing both on and off the court. In 1966 he retired from coaching and became the MSU Athletic Director, a position he held for five years. In 1990 he was voted into the Northern Intercollegiate Conference Hall of Fame.

In 1955, Larry and Marcella gave birth to their one and only child, Robert MacLeod. He is married to Joan MacLeod, they have two sons and live in Minneapolis, MN.

Larry MacLeod will be missed by everyone who knew him, in part because he combined an ethic of hard work, humor, compassion and a fundamental belief that all people are worthy and deserve a chance to succeed.

Larry is survived by his son, Robert (Joan) MacLeod, and his grandsons, Seth and Connor. He was preceded in death by his parents, Malcolm and Mary MacLeod, siblings, Donald, Robert and Francis, and his beloved wife, Marcella. 

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, July 25, 2024, at 11:00 A.M., with visitation from 10:00 to 11:00 A.M., at First Presbyterian Church, Moorhead, MN. A private burial will take place at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Moorhead. A livestream of the Celebration of Life will be available on Larry’s webpage at www.wrightfuneral.com. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Hospice of the Red River Valley.