WELDON, L. D.

SWEET, WELDON, JENNER, STRAND, TRAVIS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/31/2016 at 13:47:29

Biography ~ L. D. Weldon Graceland University

L.D. Weldon was born on July 25, 1908, in Lafayette, California, the son of George Eugene and Estelle Marie (Sweet) Weldon. The intitials L. D. weren't abbreviations for any other names; his first name was actually just L.D.

As a Graceland student, L. D. Weldon partipicated in football and track. While at Graceland he gained national acclaim as a javelin thrower, graduating in 1928 after winning the 1928 Drake Relays and the Kansas relays javelin title. L. D. competed at the Olympic trials in 1928, then furthered his education at the University of Iowa, becoming a Big Ten Conference boxing champion and the 1930 javelin title at Drake relays and Texas and Kansas relays. He also won the prestigious national Amateur Athletic Union title. L.D. received his B.S. degree in physical education and education in 1931 at the University of Iowa. He later studied at Oregon State and University of Arizona.

As an athlete, L.D.'s biggest disappointment came in the 1928 Olympic trials. Just before the competition, it was ruled his javelin didn't conform. After not having qualified with furnished equipment, Weldon used his own spear and threw it far enough to have made the U.S. team.

In 1936, L.D. coached Olympic decathlete Jack Parker. L.D. was a leader in establishing a national junior-college meet.After teaching and coaching [his 1941 and 1942 football teams were undefeated and his 1943 team finished 7-1] at Sacramento Junior College, L.D. returned to Iowa. He dropped out of coaching due to a heart problem. During this time, L.D. was a beekeeper and operated a farm implement business at Moorhead, Iowa, from 1948 to 1956.

He returned to Graceland in 1959 to teach physical education and coach cross country and track. L.D. also served as athletic director throughout his 14 years at Graceland. His most notable accomplisment was in recruiting Bruce Jenner to Graceland and serving as his coach in training for the Olympic decathlon.

In 1973, L.D. retired as professor emeritus and moved to Tucson, Arizona where he spent his final years in Tucson and Jenner would drop by frequently for a round of golf. L.D. had open-heart surgery in 1975.

Coach Weldon was inducted into the Yellowjacket Hall of Fame in 1983. The Des Moines Register inducted him into their fall of fame, acknowledging L.D. as winning 12 college letters in various sports, some earned at Graceland and others at the University of Iowa. L.D., The Biography of L.D. Weldon was written by Don Peterson in 1991.

L.D. married first Mary Frances Strand, born May 3, 1907, Moorhead, Iowa; and died December 9, 1985, Tucson, Arizona. L.D. and Mary were the parents of two sons, Terry and L. Dennis.

L.D. married second Vera Eunice Travis, born 1910, Chase, Nebraska, and died May 20, 1994, Tucson, Arizona.

Coach Weldon died at the age of 80 years on May 6, 1989, in Tucson, Arizona, and interred beside his first wife at Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni, Iowa.

SOURCES:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._D._Weldon

White, Maury. "Sports Hall of Fame: L.D. Weldon, University of Iowa, 1998." The Des Moines Register. July 11, 2005.

Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” p. 446. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2016

L.D. Weldon inducted into Yellowjacket Hall of Fame
 

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