Los Angeles
County
Biographies
MRS. ROBERT WILLIAM DELAND
The
story of Mrs. Robert William DeLand is of special interest to Monterey
Park. Mrs. DeLand is recognized as an
outstanding woman who for many years has been interestingly connected with the
community.
One
of the early civil projects of Monterey Park in which Mrs. DeLand took an
active part was the community theater, instigated by the Reverend Golder Lawrence, pastor of the Community Methodist Church,
and Father Cox of St. Stephens. The
committee which succeeded in establishing to community theater in the
auditorium of Ynez School to show weekly movies included the heads of community
activities: Mrs. Charles Thomas,
librarian; Mrs. Jack Robinson, Order of Eastern Star; and Mrs. Robert DeLand,
Parent-Teachers’ Association. Mr. Thomas
was treasurer and Mr. Pash was the projectionist.
Mrs. DeLand, whose maiden name was Winifred McLean, was born on
November 2, 1884, in Worthington, Minnesota. She is one of the five children of Sutherland
McLean, who dealt in real estate in Seattle, and Alma Francina
(Grey) McLean. The McLean family came to
the United States from Scotland before the Revolutionary War, as did the family
of Mr. DeLand. Though Mrs. DeLand is
eligible for the Daughters of the American Revolution, she is not a member.
Mr.
and Mrs. Sutherland McLean left Minnesota when Winifred was four years
old. She received her elementary and
high school education in Seattle, Washington, and attended the University of
Washington.
Robert
William DeLand and Winifred McLean were married on May 18, 1910, at the exact
time at which Halley’s Comet was supposed to hit the earth. Both events had a happy ending. The DeLand’s
celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1960. They took up residence in Monterey Park in
1920 and moved to Alhambra in 1941.
Mr.
DeLand attended the University of Washington.
He has been a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity for fifty years and
of the Masonic Order for fifty years.
Both Mr. and Mrs. DeLand have fifty-year certificates in their
fraternities. For a number of years he
belonged to the Atlantic Boulevard Improvement Society. He is a former member of the Exchange Club.
Mr.
DeLand started the firm of Robert DeLand Company, Inc., in Los Angeles
forty-two years ago. It is now the
largest company in the Southwest dealing in finished mouldings. His son, John DeLand, is a partner in the
firm.
The
DeLand’s have three sons, all graduates of Alhambra
High School who continued their education at Pasadena City College. Robert Sutherland DeLand works for Lockheed
Aircraft Company in personnel, and lives with his wife and two children in
North Hollywood; John Charles DeLand is a partner with his father in the Robert
DeLand Company and is the father of two married children and lives with his
wife in Burbank; Allan McLean DeLand is married, has five children, and lives
in Florida.
Mrs.
DeLand is past president of the Monterey Park Parent-Teachers’ Association and
past president of the Alhambra PTA Alumni Club.
She belongs to Kappa Alpha sorority and to the Alumni Association of
Pasadena. She was a member of the
Alhambra Round Table Club and still belongs to the Friendly Arts Club. She was vice president of the Monterey Park
Women’s Club, has been on the board of directors of the Women’s Club for
thirteen years and on the Library Board for twelve years. Belonging to the San Gabriel Republican Club,
she is an active worker for the Party.
Mr. and Mrs. DeLand have been members of the Community Methodist Church
in Monterey Park for forty-two years; Mrs. DeLand sang in the choir for many
years.
The
DeLand’s are not only prominent in the Southland but
also in Florida. A cousin of Mr. DeLand
founded Stetson University, located in DeLand, Florida, named after the DeLand
family.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Historical Volume & Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park,
Rosemead, San Gabriel & Temple City, by Robert P. Studer,
Pages 827-828, Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California. 1962.
© 2013 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
GOLDEN
NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPHIES