Honoring My Dad, Norm McLeod

At the age of 83, my beloved Dad, Norm McLeod ( Norman Lewis McLeod ), passed away peacefully in June 2025 at the Delta Hospital after a long and difficult struggle with Parkinson’s Disease.

To those who knew him, he was a selfless warrior in all aspects of his life. He fought every day to provide his family with a better standard of living, he fought for what was best for those he loved and cared about, he fought to set the example of how to do your best and be the best version of yourself that you can be, he fought for everything that was “right” and against everything that was “wrong” and he fought every second of every day to survive the cruel and punishing disease he was diagnosed with shortly after his retirement.

He loved his family more than anything in the world. We all knew it, we all felt it and we all loved him deeply for it.

Over the years, my Dad had a long and prosperous career in sales, sales management, regional management and general management, all related to a variety of heavy industrial equipment such as log skidders, highway trucks, 5th wheel hitches, construction equipment and forklifts.

In 1983, midway through his career, Norm was offered the position of General Manager at Williams Machinery Ltd. ( forklift dealership with head office based in Richmond, BC at the time ). He accepted the position, packed up his family in Ontario and made the gutsy move west, never looking back.

Within 2 years, Norm found a way to buy the struggling company and for the rest of his working career, he was laser focused on making his business successful, and that he did exceptionally well.

In 2007, Norm sold his business and shortly after his retirement, he was sadly diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. It was such an unfair and unfortunate outcome for a man that had given his “all” in every aspect of his life.

My Dad taught me almost everything I know about how to run a successful business and how to look after clients properly. For this gift and many others, I will be eternally grateful.

He will be forever missed by me and by his loving family, colleagues, friends and the long list of exceptionally caring and compassionate caregivers that helped him and his loving wife, Joy, navigate some of life’s most treacherous waters near the end.

The Early Days

The Later Years

A Poem To Remember My Dad 

I Love You Dad

Guest Book Contributions

Please feel free to reach out to me by email ( smcleod@fleetmanconsulting.com ) if you would like to share any heart-warming stories, memories or thoughts about my Dad. If requested, I would be happy to post them below.