“Hometown Heroes John and Winnie McLeod outside the South Whidbey Historical Society Museum, where they’ve given countless hours of work and dedication.Matt Johnson/staff photoThese words by an anonymous author are a perfect description of Hometown Heroes John and Winnie McLeod and their life in the South Whidbey community:AnywayPeople can be unreasonable, illogical and self-centered…Love them anyway.If you do good, some people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives…Do good anyway.When you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies…Do good anyway.Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable…Be honest and frank anyway.What you spend years building may be forgotten or destroyed overnight…Build anyway.People really need help, but may resent you if you help them…Find a way to help them anyway.Give the world the best you have and you may never get any thanks, appreciation or recognition…Give the world your best anyway.Honesty, frankness and respect are words that are often used to describe the characteristics of John and Winnie McLeod. The couple is known for living out these values in their daily lives, putting family first and community a close second.And they are also two of South Whidbey’s favorite people.Winnie is president of the Historical Society Board, coping with the inevitable personality conflicts, various egos and conflicting values that are part of any complex endeavor, said Dr. Charlis Dunham of Langley. But she perseveres for progress, he said, always in good spirits and treating people with frankness, honesty and respect. And once everyone leaves the meetings, Winnie sweeps up and puts the chairs away, Dunham added.Treating everyone with this courtesy is important to the McLeods. It’s worked in our marriage, too, John McLeod said. We’ve never even had an argument or disagreement in our 61 years of marriage, he said.At which point Winnie said, Well, honey, that’s not exactly true. We’ve had disagreements, we’ve just never argued about them.John looked bewildered as he looked over at his wife, then shrugged his shoulders and said, I never knew we had any disagreements….Oh, well.Winnie is usually right, John says. For example, when John was approached to tell stories to schoolchildren on history days, he at first was hesitant, wondering if he had enough good stories to tell. It was Winnie who gave him the confidence he needed. John, you have lots of good stories, she said. Why, you could even make them up as you go. Hardly anyone is around any more to call you a liar.John has been a popular storyteller at the schools ever since.Winnie says she and John have always kept an open mind when talking with one another. They listen with the desire to try and understand the other’s point of view.And we’ve always believed in total honesty and being frank with others – except in storytelling. John tells of an incident when he observed one of his employees stealing a good share of the company’s meat. As his boss, John didn’t want to say anything in front of anyone else. But he did call the man at home and asked if he could come over.We went out in his car to speak in private, John recalled. I told him what I’d seen straight out. He began to shake and cry. He said how sorry he was and begged to keep his job.John is convinced the man was honest since that time. He paid for all the meat, and the incident was never mentioned again.Not everyone, however, was so willing to take responsibility for their actions. When John observed another employee stealing cash, he approached the man privately in the same manner, being up front about what he had seen. This time the man became incensed and indignant, and went straight to the union.Even though the employee was eventually found guilty of stealing, John said, If he had only been honest at the first, we could have worked through the problem.The McLeods say they learned about honesty and how to live the good life from their parents.Winnie recalls that when she was about 12 years old she and her mother were on the way home from a family Christmas shopping trip. At the bus stop, all the gifts were stolen.My parents called us all together to explain. We all decided to pool our money to at least buy our little 4-year-old sister Bonnie a gift, Winnie said. I don’t remember Christmas being any less fun without presents. We went to church, performed in the Christmas pageant and ate a big family meal. Not having presents wasn’t any problem.According to Bonnie Mackenzie, the McLeod’s daughter, nothing presents a problem too difficult for her parents to deal with.If something needs doing, or someone needs help, they just do it, she said.’Mackenzie remembers a week-long Girl Scout Mariners boat trip that she chaperoned.Mom is too humble to tell this story, but she saved a young girl’s life, Mackenzie said.One of the Girl Scouts, thinking the waters looked calm and feeling invincible, dove in for a swim, without permission and against the rules. There was instant panic, Mackenzie said. Strong currents in the deceptively calm waters rapidly pulled the girl out to sea. The boat captain and chaperones swiftly lowered the lifeboat with life preservers.Well, mom jumped in the boat, life jacket on, and furiously rowed and rowed, trying to keep up with the swift current. It looked hopeless, but my mom’s determination won out. After both were aboard our boat again, mom lay on the deck for over an hour, too exhausted to move, Mackenzie said.I remember being so proud of her.The McLeods say they learned a lot from being scouting leaders. Winnie recalls the scout training during which they were taught the importance of showing their scouts how to laugh.Sounds silly, I’m sure, she said. But I actually had to teach myself to laugh first.Living through the Great Depression made life seem serious and even somber, Winnie said. But she’s learned the importance of humor, and has made it a daily habit of her daily life to take herself lightly and find the comedy in life.My parents are always looking on the bright side, said daughter Marge Carter of Clinton. My dad whistles while he works. My mom volunteers in my classroom at school, and all the kids love and trust her. They all call her Grandma Winnie.Carter says all ages take to her parents, and they in turn seem to always find the good in everyone.John and Winnie say they have tried to live out the advice from John’s mother: Find the good in every single person. In some people it’s awfully difficult, but if you work at it, you can discover at least one good thing.John and Winnie always have something nice to say about everyone, says Winnie’s sister, Bonnie Miller of Langley. My sister Winnie is the busiest person I know, yet never to busy to help a neighbor out, Miller said. Of course we sisters always say it’s not so tough to be so involved when you have a husband like John.John is the kind of man who will reach for any baby, Miller said. It doesn’t matter if the baby is wet, dirty or drooling.John and Winnie’s son Doug McLeod, who lives in Langley, said: My parents have always given all of us their very best. they are the most compassionate, giving people I have ever known. I’m so proud of them.McLeod biographies*John Douglas McLeod, born Aug. 27, 1916 in Langley, one of 10 children and the seventh son of the seventh son. John has lived on Whidbey for 84 years. He attended Langley High School and the University of Washington.*Winifred Bell McLeod, born Nov. 16, 1918 in Seattle. Attended Roosevelt High School and a business college in Seattle. She has lived on Whidbey for 73 years.The couple was married June 2, 1940 at the Langley Methodist Church. They have three children, Douglas, Bonnie and Marjorie; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.Community involvement: Langley United Methodist Church, the Hospital Guild, South Whidbey Historical Society, South Whidbey Lions Club, Masons, Saratoga Community club, scouting, South Whidbey school classrooms, Living History projects for the school district.Special memories and personal thoughtsAfter their father Dave Bell started a small fishing resort, Winnie and her sisters were known as the Bells Beach Girls all over South Whidbey. When Bells Beach flooded, Winnie and her family would have to wear waist-high boots or row out to their outhouse.John and Winnie had saved $40, mostly in dimes, for their honeymoon. John, then 20, took the $40 down to the old Sea Breeze hangout at the Langley dock to make some more money. Well, John says today, I think there were some slickies in that night. I ended up losing all our honeymoon savings. It took me months to save up enough again.How do you stay excited about life?Winnie: My parents taught us always to have a goal or vision to work toward. It works.What would you want to change about this world?John and Winnie: Get rid of selfishness, greed, drugs.What advice can you give to others to make their lives better?John and Winnie: Have a strong faith, put family first, be honest, help others, and keep in mind not everything is black and white.Other thoughts?John: Whidbey is the most wonderful place in the world. I thank God in my prayers every night for Whidbey and for the people here.What others say about John and Winnie McLeodThe most important values to John and Winnie is their faith in God, family and community. They’ll help anyone. I appreciate their honesty. If you ask them a question, you’re sure to get a frank, honest answer.Annette Pascoe, LangleyIt would be had to find nicer people anywhere. They both come from pioneer families, and have contributed a lot to this community. They’re genuine, honest, hardworking people whom I’ve known and respected for years.Lloyd Furman, Mayor of LangleyWinnie has spent countless hours, months and years working on the historical museum in Langley. She has so much enthusiasm, and John is the kind of gentleman that all love and respect. I cannot think of more deserving Hometown Heroes.Joan Nelson, ClintonAs Winnie’s sister, I can tell you she has always been helping people. She’ll finish a meeting at the historical society, then volunteer in the classroom at the schools, take a meal to a sick neighbor and come home to work on a project for church. John will work endlessly, driving, setting up tables, parking cars and all those pesky jobs no one wants to do, and always with a cheerful disposition.Ginger Erickson, Winnie’s sisterWhat a team these two make! I’ve often wondered, do they ever sleep? What role models they both present to their family and this community. When Johnny was a single young man, he could sing like you wouldn’t believe. the truth is, I just may have had a crush John him back then.Fran Johnson, LangleyWinnie and John are the most giving people I know. Family is first, followed by their community. Winnie is a clear person, easy to understand, and both are always honest and straightforward.Betty Hebert, LangleyJohn and Winnie treat everyone with Christian love. They’ll help anyone in need. They set a role model by example, and they never say an unkind word about anyone.Georgia McLeod, Langley, John’s sister-in-lawJohn and Winnie are the most fun loving couple I know. Winnie is motivated by her desire to do things right and formal. Family comes first to them, and they volunteer endlessly for this community.Harry Josephson, Freeland, Whidbey nativeWinnie inspires me to believe that no matter how old I get, I can be vital and helping to serve others. John is a pea in the pod like my own dad. John is a big hearted guy. Now, since my own dad has passed away, John is my dad.Mary McLeod, daughter-in-law “