Leo Patrick McEleney 1895-1964

MCELENEY

Posted By: Michael J. Kearney (email)
Date: 11/24/2005 at 12:18:40

The Clinton Herald Tuesday April 7, 1964 p. 8 Leo P. McEleney, 69, co-founder of McEleney Motors and a state representative from Clinton county for four terms, died this morning in Brentwood, Calif., where he had resided for the last 11 years. Funeral arrangements are pending. Services will be held in Clinton later this week. He was born June 1, 1895 in Clinton and with his brother, Emmett, established Clinton's first garage and automobile dealership on Main Ave. in 1914. Mr. McEleney took an active part in a wide range of civic affairs while a resident in Clinton. He was a past president and director of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce, the Lyons club and the American Legion Building Co. He served two terms as a member of the Clinton Airport Commission. As a member of the Clinton chamber's industrial development company he worked closely with the DuPont company in the selection of Clinton as the site for a cellophane plant. He made his first appearance in the political arean in 1944 when he won the primary nomination for state representative in a field of eight candiadates. He was elected that same year and served four consecutive terms in the House. During his tenure as a representative he served on all the major committees. He was a veteran of World War I and a member of numerous civic and fraternal organizations in Clinton. Surviving are his widow in Brentwood; three sons, Warren J. McEleney and James E. McEleney of Clinton and Dr. Donald McEleney of Cedar Rapids; and nine grandchildren.