Louise A. McLeod

Louise A. McLeod, aged 87, passed away on Wednesday evening, May 20, 2026. She was the daughter of the late Mary (Bell) and John F. Anderson and the wife of the late Norman P. (Bud) McLeod. Her sister, Joan Anderson Hicklin, died in 2000. Louise is survived by her brother, John Bell Anderson, and his wife, Rev. Margot Connor Anderson of Columbus, Ohio. She will also be fondly remembered by an abundance of friends and extended family for years to come. Louise resided in Cleveland, Ohio, for nearly 45 years. She attended Greensboro College in North Carolina and earned a BA in social science from Cleveland State University. While in Cleveland, Louise worked for a number of organizations, including General Electric, Pickands Mather, The Cleveland Institute of Music, and Dow Jones & Company. At Dow Jones, she began as a teletype operator and was promoted to become the first female to work on the copy desk at the Cleveland Bureau of The Wall Street Journal. In 1984, Louise and Bud moved from Cleveland to Morristown, New Jersey, where they lived for almost 18 years. Bud served as Director of Development at Morristown-Beard School. Louise was employed as an Allocations Associate at United Way of Morris County. She also worked in administration at The American Red Cross, the Morris County Homeless Shelter, and New Bridge Services, where she enjoyed a four-year stint as a geriatric case manager. After their time in Morristown, Louise and Bud retired in 2002. They moved to Wakefield, Rhode Island, to join good friends who had relocated there from New Jersey just months before. Their retirement was joyous. They stayed active by participating in local politics, joining community events, enjoying the ocean, and meeting delightful new people. Their key legacy is the South Kingstown Dog Park, off Broad Rock Road in Wakefield. They worked with the Town Council and many multi-talented volunteers for more than two years to develop this park. It is now a popular spot for canines and their owners to rendezvous and a source of community pride. Louise requested that no services be held in her memory. Instead, she suggested that those who knew her remember her fondness for her church, The Unitarian Universalist Church of South County, 27 North Road, Peace Dale, RI 02879. Please contribute whatever you wish to the church’s Share the Plate program, which helps fund local charitable organizations. Burial will take place at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio.