Wyland Leadbetter Jr.

1943-2021

After a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease and pulmonary fibrosis, Wyland passed away peacefully July 30 at his home in San Antonio, Texas.

Born in Boston to Dr. Wyland F. and Mrs. Lois Leadbetter, he was a graduate of Hebron Academy and Bates College, both in Maine. Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Barbara H. Leadbetter, and their three grown children.

After a year in law school at the Univ. of Maine in 1968, Wyland was drafted into the army. At first, he was surprised to find himself in the military, but after his training he lucked out and was assigned to Fort Carson, Colorado. He and Barb loved the skiing and climate there. His soldiers trained in huge earth-conquering vehicles on the vast plains south of Colorado Springs. After realizing that he enjoyed working in a mostly outdoor environment with people doing important things, he decided to make the Army his life’s work. His training came in handy in his next assignment: Vietnam. There his soldiers worked on repairing roads and bridges. Barb waited for him in Portland, Maine, and had Liz, their first baby.

After Vietnam he was at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, for the captain’s course, then grad school (when the family gained another baby, Wyland III) then three years teaching ROTC at Norwich University in Vermont (and another baby, Christopher). Both Wyland and Barb were delighted to be in New England. Wyland enjoyed teaching and sponsoring the student rescue team, even after they asked him to be the “victim” as their students practiced lowering an injured person down a sheer rock face.

Orders to Germany were next. It was a great adventure. Germany offered new and different people, a new language, great food, and amazing places to go. One summer Wyland took the family across the Channel to camp along the Thames near London. During another summer he drove the family to Switzerland and Italy, camping a stone’s throw from Venice. He led the children on Volksmarches with German-American clubs.

In Germany, the hours were long. Very long. Wyland spent many weeks “down range” where the soldiers were training. The Russian border was in range, and the “cold war” was still on. Wives were taught how to evacuate from Germany with their children in case the Russians came over. The fear was real. Wyland did not have much time for the family in those years, but when he was at home, he led the sledding attack on the big hill.

After Germany came a string of stateside assignments. The family camped across country several times to new assignments. The children all started playing soccer, and Wyland, who had played soccer at Hebron and Bates, coached and refereed some of their games when he could. The children caught his love of the outdoors.

Wyland had two tours at the Pentagon. That meant long hours again. Other assignments included the Industrial War College, command of a battalion in Korea, and command of the First Engineer Brigade at Ft. Leonard Wood. After he retired, Wyland joined a group that went to Austria to ski each year, and he joined his brother in Maine for some hiking through Canada. He also volunteered many hours at the Fairfax, Virginia, library with Barbara.

Despite all the travels, Wyland’s heart was in a group of log cabins on a lake in Maine where he and his siblings spent their formative summers, under the tutelage of a few hardy, independent Mainers, learning how to hunt, fish, guide, play bridge by the light of a lantern, and tell tall tales. He brought his family there every possible summer, from however far. The children helped Wyland and his brother Charlie repair the old cabins, building character along the way. Wyland taught the kids to shingle a roof, replace sill logs, fix a leaky boat, and how to relax by climbing Mt. Katahdin, the highest mountain in the east. HIs work ethic will long be remembered by his wife, his children, his neighbors, fellow officers, and hundreds of soldiers.

Wyland served 30 years in the Army. After his retirement, he and Barb went on three boat trips in Europe with friends. They visited Russia, France and Greece. Wyland at last had time to enjoy the view.

Survivors include his daughter, Dr. Elizabeth Leadbetter and her partner, Robert J. Thompson, and her two children, Sebastian and Winslow of San Antonio; his son Lieutenant Colonel Wyland F. Leadbetter III and wife, Shannon, and their sons Wyland IV and Robert of Crofton, MD; and his son Christopher Leadbetter and wife, Sara, and their sons Nick, Shane and Drew of Canton, CT. He also is survived by his sister, Emily Althausen and brother-in-law, Dr. Alex Althausen of Reno, Nevada; brother Charles Leadbetter and sister-in-law Alice Sproul of Waldoboro, Maine; brother-in-law and sister-in-law John and Jessie Hoadley of Niantic, CT; and brother-in-law Steven Hoadley of Peterborough, NH as well as many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at The Fortin Group funeral home in Auburn, Maine, on Sept. 11 at one o’clock.