Mary Helen McLeod, 93, Cando, ND passed away on Sunday, October 19, 2014 at the Towner County Living Center in Cando, ND. Memorial services will be held on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. at the Dunnigan-Dix Funeral Home in Cando, ND with Rev. Rick Craig officiating. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment will be at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Cando, ND. Memorials are preferred to the donor's choice.

Mary Helen was born on December 8, 1920 in Henry, Illinois to Charles and Velma (Rowe) Bourdette. She was educated in the Henry Illinois Public Schools, graduating in 1938. She then went on to MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Home Economics with a minor in Chemistry, graduating in 1942. She was a member of the Lamdba Alpha Mu society where she served as secretary and president. After graduation, Mary Helen moved to Joliet, IL, working for DuPont, where she met Chad McLeod. Chad had an automobile and posted an ad looking for car poolers to help offset the cost of gas. Mary Helen was one of several women looking for a ride and since she was susceptible to getting car sick, she insisted on sitting in the front seat with Chad. Chad and Mary Helen were married on May 9, 1943 at her home in Henry, IL.
Shortly after marriage, Chad joined the Army and Mary Helen continued working in Illinois and Texas during World War 2. During that time, her job involved testing blood for people she learned later were working on the Manhattan Project which helped to end the war.
After the war, Mary Helen and Chad returned to Cando where they lived for the rest of their lives. Mary Helen was active in the local Entre Nous Club and Order of the Eastern Star and was a member of the Cando Methodist Church for more than 70 years. She sang alto in the Cando Community Chorus and was involved in many of their musical productions. Mary Helen was very adventurous going hunting and fishing with Chad, taking up skiing at the age 50 and traveling to many parts of the world. She worked as a substitute teacher in the Cando High School. Mary Helen put her college education to good use and was an excellent cook willing to experiment with new culinary techniques and dishes. She was a master at reinventing leftovers into new creations. In 2010, Chad and Mary Helen moved into the Towner County Living Center due to declining health.
Mary Helen is survived by two sons, Ronald (Lauren) McLeod of Menlo Park, CA and Charles McLeod of Los Gatos, CA and five grand-children, Ben Hoover of Bend OR, Jessica Hoover of Appleton, WI, Douglas McLeod of San Luis Obispo, CA, Emma and Sarah McLeod of Menlo Park, CA. She was preceded in death by her sister Lura Jean Hunt, her daughter, Martha (Martie) McLeod-Hoover of Wausau, WI and her husband RC (Chad) McLeod.