Leslie was a born in Laurium, Mich., and graduated from Calumet High School in 1933, where he played hockey and was an Eagle Scout. He graduated from Wayne State University in 1940 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a master's in special education. He played hockey at Wayne State in the 1930s before the college abandoned the program. He was the last surviving member of the original Wayne State hockey team, and, along with former hockey great Gordie Howe, dropped the inaugural puck in 1999 when WSU began playing the sport again. He met his wife when they were both counselors at Camp Grace Bentley, for children with disabilities. They were married in August 1941, shortly after he joined the Army Air Corps. During World War II he was a fighter pilot and instructor who taught hundreds of pilots in the Army's flight school before they were shipped to Europe. He, himself, was shipped to England in September 1944. In February 1945, he was shot down during a mission over Germany, was captured, and was a prisoner of war until being liberated in May 1945. Upon his return from the war, he opened Harper Sport Shop in Detroit. The shop moved to St. Clair Shores in 1995 and is still operated by members of his family. For decades, he worked two jobs, spending his days going from home to home in Detroit teaching children with disabilities and running his sports shop in the evenings. Throughout his life, he was an avid supporter of children's sports teams and Scouting. His wife, Katherine Seppala, died in 2002. Leslie died from pneumonia at the Beechwood Manor in St. Clair Shores. Survivors include a daughter, Sandra; a son, William Leslie; a sister; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Leslie was a born in Laurium, Mich., and graduated from Calumet High School in 1933, where he played hockey and was an Eagle Scout. He graduated from Wayne State University in 1940 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a master's in special education. He played hockey at Wayne State in the 1930s before the college abandoned the program. He was the last surviving member of the original Wayne State hockey team, and, along with former hockey great Gordie Howe, dropped the inaugural puck in 1999 when WSU began playing the sport again. He met his wife when they were both counselors at Camp Grace Bentley, for children with disabilities. They were married in August 1941, shortly after he joined the Army Air Corps. During World War II he was a fighter pilot and instructor who taught hundreds of pilots in the Army's flight school before they were shipped to Europe. He, himself, was shipped to England in September 1944. In February 1945, he was shot down during a mission over Germany, was captured, and was a prisoner of war until being liberated in May 1945. Upon his return from the war, he opened Harper Sport Shop in Detroit. The shop moved to St. Clair Shores in 1995 and is still operated by members of his family. For decades, he worked two jobs, spending his days going from home to home in Detroit teaching children with disabilities and running his sports shop in the evenings. Throughout his life, he was an avid supporter of children's sports teams and Scouting. His wife, Katherine Seppala, died in 2002. Leslie died from pneumonia at the Beechwood Manor in St. Clair Shores. Survivors include a daughter, Sandra; a son, William Leslie; a sister; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
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