Butler Mcleod

In Loving Memory of “Coach” Butler McLeod

On Sunday, March 19, 2023, the author and finisher of our soul’s destiny summoned Butler McLeod to eternal rest.  He was surrounded by family in his home.
Butler McLeod was born on March 22, 1938 to the union of Bruce McLeod, Sr. and Anna Martin McLeod in Bassfield, Mississippi. After the death of his father (1948) and mother (1950), Butler went to live with his Uncle, Reedus McLeod and Aunt, Gussie Booth McLeod.  They raised him until he graduated from Carver High School in Bassfield, Mississippi in 1958. They brought him up in a Christian atmosphere, and he joined the Holly Springs C.M.E. Church.
After graduating from Carver High, Butler went to Mississippi Industrial College (better known as M.I College) in Holly Springs, Mississippi.  While attending M.I. College, he worked as a mail clerk, and he also aided with repairs, etc. around the college. While assisting with roof repairs at M.I., Butler saw Daliah Hervey walking by. He immediately came down from the rooftop and started a relationship that lasted throughout their college career. On August 3, 1961, Butler and Daliah were married. She became his bride, soulmate, and love of his life until her demise on August 26, 2021 (60 years).
In 1962, Butler graduated from M.I. College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry.  He then went to Long Beach, California and secured a job at Long Beach Naval Base as a supply clerk. His intent was to move his family there and make that his home. However, after five months, he was inducted into the U.S. Army on October 23, 1962. He served two years of active duty as a Medical Specialist before receiving an Honorable Discharge. Afterwards, Butler served two years of inactive duty and four years of Summer Reserve.  In 1964, Butler returned to Water Valley and joined Miles Memorial C.M.E. Church, where he served as Sunday School Superintendent, Trustee, Steward, and Treasurer.
Professionally, in 1964, Butler found his true passion in education and was employed from 1964-1966 with the Marshall County School System in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Then in 1966, he was employed with the Water Valley School System  where he taught  Biology, General Science, and Chemistry at Davidson High School and moved on to Water Valley High School when the schools merged and continued to teach the same subjects as well as serve as a Coach.  He coached boys and girls basketball, boys track and served as the high school football scout from 1982-1990. He coached baseball from 1970-1985 and had only one losing season. Oak Grove beat Coach McLeod’s baseball team for the state championship in 1979.  His teaching career covered a span of thirty one and one half years of dedicated service.  He retired in May of 1996 and was honored at the Water Valley Banquet with a plaque citing his long service to the school system. Additionally, Butler continued his service to the Water Valley School System by driving a school bus until 2016.
Among his other honors are Distinguished Coaches Award in September 1991 at the Coaches Hall of Fame Awards Banquet sponsored by Bryan Foods of West Point; May 2021 recognized as a True Blue Fan for his service as a teacher and coach of Water Valley High School for winning several baseball championships in the Chickasaw and Tri-Lake Conferences; and for being a part of the 1990 State Championship football team by scouting different teams from Booneville, Mississippi to Stone County (received a state championship ring).  On Thursday, May 21, 2022, Coach McLeod was recognized as one of two longtime Blue Devil baseball supporters and was named to the Water Valley High School Baseball Hall of Fame for decades of service.  Coach McLeod helped to contribute to the building of the current baseball field at the high school.
Butler is a member of Tri-Lake Lodge No. 48 and has served his community well. Because he believed in giving back to the community that has given him so much he always found projects where he could volunteer.  He served giving out commodities to the elderly.  In 2019, he and his late wife were chosen to serve as grand Marshall for the Water Valley Christmas Parade.  He was also honored, along with his late wife, with a Northwest Mississippi College Scholarship endowed in the name of Butler and Daliah McLeod on July 18, 2019, to commemorate their many faithful years of service in education.  He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors for Yalobusha County Economic Development Foundation with the main objective being to secure industry for Yalobusha County and served as Chairperson for the Democratic Party of Yalobusha County.
Preceding him in death were his wife, Daliah McLeod; parents Bruce Sr. and Anna McLeod; one grandson Rodrick McLeod, Jr.; brothers Bruce, McLeod Jr.; Johnny Ray McLeod and Willie Rankins; one sister, Georgia Rankins; Two cousins/sisters, Lola Lee Bass and Genevieve Kyle.  Loving and Lasting memories are left with one son, Rodrick (Patsy) McLeod, Sr.; two daughters Detra (Barron) Matthews and Vietta (Richard) Booker all of Water Valley, eight grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, one Sister-in-Law Grace (Willie) Hardy of Memphis, Tennessee, a devoted nephew, Colonel Larry “Mac” McNeal (a.k.a. Ol’ Timer as his Uncle Butler jokingly called him), U.S. Army, Retired of Kuwait who Face Timed his Uncle Butler daily and visited whenever possible, a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Visitation will be held in the Gardiner Room at Seven Oaks Funeral Home on Friday, March 24, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.  The funeral service honoring his life will be Saturday, March 25, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. in the Henry Chapel at Seven Oaks Funeral Home.  The committal will follow the funeral service at Rocky Mount Cemetery.  Repast will be at Sanders Chapel M.B. Church in Water Valley.