Dr. Wade and Judy McLeod • Round Rock
Dr. Wade and Judy McLeod • Round Rock
Written by Katie Gutierrez Thursday, 01 May 2008
The lives of Dr. Wade and Judy McLeod can perhaps best be summarized by Judy’s motto: “Pour yourselves somewhere into your community, because that’s where you’ll receive the greatest rewards.”
Judy grew up in Sweetwater, Texas, near Roscoe where Wade lived. They met during high school and married. They both graduated from Abilene Christian University and earned postgraduate degrees from Texas A&M University, his in veterinary medicine and hers in education. They moved to New York for Wade’s internship at Cornell University and then back to Texas when Wade’s father died unexpectedly. Wade worked at his uncle’s 50-year-old veterinary practice in Austin, and Judy gave birth to Holly and Lee. In 1973, they decided it was time for another move — to Round Rock. “Everyone kind of thought we were crazy to move to Round Rock because there were really only about 5,000 people there at the time,” Judy said. “There was no veterinarian, and it didn’t look like very many people had lots of dogs and cats roaming around, so it was a real step of faith.”
Wade built his veterinary clinic, McLeod Animal Clinic, on Mays Street, where it is still open for business from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. “and no later,” Judy said, laughing. “After 35 years, I think he deserves to have normal hours. He’s been such a hard worker, and I tell him all the time that there’s a generation that has no clue how to work like he’s worked.”
The couple embraced small-town Round Rock immediately, and their son Scott was born. While Wade worked to establish his clinic, Judy became active in numerous organizations ranging from the Parent Teacher Associations and Little League and Taylor Pony-Colt Baseball to the United Way and YMCA. In addition, she served as president of the school board between 1993 and 1995.
In 2000, Judy received a call from Charlie Culpepper, then mayor of Round Rock. He asked if she would be the community leader in the effort to bring the Round Rock Express to the city. “Wade and I worked with lots of people who believed it would be a good thing for our community, as time has shown it has been,” Judy said. “It was a tremendously exciting experience to work with the [Nolan] Ryan family and see the quality of people they are.”
Today, Judy is a member of the Seton Medical Center Williamson board and president of Seton Volunteers, and Wade welcomes new patients every day.
“We will always have a deep love for this community and its people and want to be a part of making good things happen,” Judy said.
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