1932
Henslee
2013
Henslee Clifford McLellan
May 26, 1932 — September 30, 2013
H.C. "Bill" McLellan
HC "Bill" McLellan passed away peacefully on Monday, Sept. 30 in Greenville, SC.
Born in Hamer, SC, on May 26, 1932, Bill was the son of the late Henslee Clifford McLellan and the late Bessie Thompson McLellan. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC.
McLellan was a 1950 graduate of Dillon High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Clemson University in 1954 and went on to earn a Master of Science in Agriculture Economics from Clemson University in 1956. McLellan was a member of the football team for three years (1951-54) and was a member of the Tigers' 1952 Gator Bowl squad. Following his graduation from Clemson served first as the Assistant Athletics Business Manger and then Assistant Athletic Director under the tutelage of Frank Howard at Clemson. From 1966-69 he took on additional duties as an assistant football coach at Clemson. McLellan was named Athletic Director at Clemson in 1971 and served in that role until 1985. McLellan's vision brought Clemson Memorial Stadium to an 80,000 seat stadium, hired some of the most successful coaches in school history and expanded the athletic landscape to include women's athletics. During this time Clemson won 34 ACC Championships in nine different sports. It was during his tenure as athletics director that the Tiger Paw was adopted as the official logo.
The Clemson program was especially successful from 1978-1985 when Clemson had 45 top 25 teams and 27 ACC championships. The 1981 Clemson football team claimed the National Championship with an Orange Bowl victory over Nebraska. It was the first team national championship for any Clemson team. McLellan's vision for facilities had much to do with the program's improvement. He oversaw the building and financing of Clemson's South upper deck in 1978 and the North upper deck in 1983, bringing the stadium to among the top 15 largest on campus facilities in the nation. It was also his plan to incorporate 100 luxury boxes (the first for an on campus college stadium) into the expansion to help finance the projects. This past May the upper deck on the North side of the stadium was named in his honor.
McLellan became the Director of Athletics at Southern Mississippi in 1986 and retained that position until he retired and moved to Greenville in 1999 to be closer to two of his greatest loves?his Grandchildren and Clemson University. He was inducted into the Southern Mississippi Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.
McLellan received the Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 1982. He was inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993. This past May he was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.
Surviving Mr. McLellan is his wife of 59 years, Ann Rogers McLellan. He is also survived by his four children: Daughter Suzy Cato (and late husband Steve) and children John and Mark Cato; William (Bill) McLellan and children Katherine and Will McLellan; Cliff McLellan, wife Thea McLellan and children Chris, Andrew Justin and Matthew; and Arch Anna Steadham (and late husband Barry). He is also survived by his brother Dick McLellan and his wife Jacque, and sisters Ann Collie and her husband, Nick. Dot Murray and her husband John, and sister Arch Anna Blanchard. He was preceded in death by a sister Barbara Jean McLellan and a brother Gordon R. McLellan.
A Memorial Service will be held at 12 Noon, Thursday, in the Sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church, Greenville.
The family will receive friends from 10:30 to 11:45 AM, Thursday in the Parlor of First Presbyterian Church Greenville prior to the service.
A graveside committal service will be held in Woodland Cemetery "Cemetery Hill" on the campus of Clemson University at 3 PM Thursday.
The family will receive friends immediately following the committal service in the Tiger Den at Memorial Stadium in Clemson.
Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to the Bill McLellan Memorial IPTAY Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1529, Clemson, SC 29633.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, Central, SC.
HC "Bill" McLellan passed away peacefully on Monday, Sept. 30 in Greenville, SC.
Born in Hamer, SC, on May 26, 1932, Bill was the son of the late Henslee Clifford McLellan and the late Bessie Thompson McLellan. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC.
McLellan was a 1950 graduate of Dillon High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Clemson University in 1954 and went on to earn a Master of Science in Agriculture Economics from Clemson University in 1956. McLellan was a member of the football team for three years (1951-54) and was a member of the Tigers' 1952 Gator Bowl squad. Following his graduation from Clemson served first as the Assistant Athletics Business Manger and then Assistant Athletic Director under the tutelage of Frank Howard at Clemson. From 1966-69 he took on additional duties as an assistant football coach at Clemson. McLellan was named Athletic Director at Clemson in 1971 and served in that role until 1985. McLellan's vision brought Clemson Memorial Stadium to an 80,000 seat stadium, hired some of the most successful coaches in school history and expanded the athletic landscape to include women's athletics. During this time Clemson won 34 ACC Championships in nine different sports. It was during his tenure as athletics director that the Tiger Paw was adopted as the official logo.
The Clemson program was especially successful from 1978-1985 when Clemson had 45 top 25 teams and 27 ACC championships. The 1981 Clemson football team claimed the National Championship with an Orange Bowl victory over Nebraska. It was the first team national championship for any Clemson team. McLellan's vision for facilities had much to do with the program's improvement. He oversaw the building and financing of Clemson's South upper deck in 1978 and the North upper deck in 1983, bringing the stadium to among the top 15 largest on campus facilities in the nation. It was also his plan to incorporate 100 luxury boxes (the first for an on campus college stadium) into the expansion to help finance the projects. This past May the upper deck on the North side of the stadium was named in his honor.
McLellan became the Director of Athletics at Southern Mississippi in 1986 and retained that position until he retired and moved to Greenville in 1999 to be closer to two of his greatest loves?his Grandchildren and Clemson University. He was inducted into the Southern Mississippi Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.
McLellan received the Clemson Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 1982. He was inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993. This past May he was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.
Surviving Mr. McLellan is his wife of 59 years, Ann Rogers McLellan. He is also survived by his four children: Daughter Suzy Cato (and late husband Steve) and children John and Mark Cato; William (Bill) McLellan and children Katherine and Will McLellan; Cliff McLellan, wife Thea McLellan and children Chris, Andrew Justin and Matthew; and Arch Anna Steadham (and late husband Barry). He is also survived by his brother Dick McLellan and his wife Jacque, and sisters Ann Collie and her husband, Nick. Dot Murray and her husband John, and sister Arch Anna Blanchard. He was preceded in death by a sister Barbara Jean McLellan and a brother Gordon R. McLellan.
A Memorial Service will be held at 12 Noon, Thursday, in the Sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church, Greenville.
The family will receive friends from 10:30 to 11:45 AM, Thursday in the Parlor of First Presbyterian Church Greenville prior to the service.
A graveside committal service will be held in Woodland Cemetery "Cemetery Hill" on the campus of Clemson University at 3 PM Thursday.
The family will receive friends immediately following the committal service in the Tiger Den at Memorial Stadium in Clemson.
Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to the Bill McLellan Memorial IPTAY Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1529, Clemson, SC 29633.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, Central, SC.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Henslee Clifford McLellan, please visit our flower store.
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