William Dent Leeke

William Dent Leeke COLUMBIA - A memorial service celebrating the life and legacy of William Dent Leeke, 81, of Columbia will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at Saint Mary's Episcopal Church, 170 St. Andrews Road, Columbia, SC 29210. The wardens, correctional officers, and employees of the South Carolina Department of Corrections will be honorary pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to: Alston Wilkes Society 3519 Medical Park Dr. Columbia, S.C, 29203, The Frankie San Foundation, 156 Point de Haven Rd. Columbia, S.C. 29036, Sistercare and Pawmetto Lifeline c/o Cat Rescue 1275 Bower Parkway, Columbia, South Carolina in William's memory. Mr. Leeke departed this earthly life to be with our heavenly father on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. He was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi to Henry Thomas Leeke and Ruth Stanford Leeke on August 30, 1931. Mr. Leeke received his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Furman University and a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina. He was a veteran of the United States Army, Co D 508th Military Battalion, Garmish, Germany from 1953 until 1955 and a member of the Alston Wilkes Society. Mr. Leeke retired from the distinguished position as Commissioner of the South Carolina Department of Corrections on October 1, 1987. Upon retirement he worked as a private consultant and expert witness. Mr. Leeke was the longest tenured corrections commissioner in the nation at the time of his retirement in which he served in that position since 1968. He was active in corrections since 1956 as a teacher, warden, and deputy commissioner. He was the past president of the American Correctional Association and was the first person to be elected to a two-year term. He served as president of the National Association of State Correctional Administrators and the Southern States Correctional Association and in 1980, he was appointed by the President of the United States to serve on the Advisory Panel of the National Institute of Justice. He also served for several years as a member of the American Bar Association's Commission on Correctional Facilities and Services. In 1981, he was awarded the E.R. Cass Award, the highest honor bestowed by the American Correctional Association. The Southern States Correctional Association in 1986 selected him as a recipient of the first David H. Williams Excellence of Service Award, which is the association's highest level of recognition for corrections professionals. Mr. Leeke's most notable changes and improvements under his directorship at the South Carolina Department of Corrections were establishing a Specialized Services Division through which professional treatment services were introduced for inmates, Initiating a Youthful Offender Division to provide special treatment and training programs for youthful offenders under indeterminate sentences, developing and implementing community-based programs, pre-release and work-release centers in major population and industrial areas; establishing a Planning and Research Division, which has greatly enhanced the Department's capacity for program evaluation and research; and implementing a college program for inmates through the cooperation and assistance of the University of South Carolina, The Correctional Development Foundation, and the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration. Mr. Leeke was instrumental in equal employment and integration of correctional facilities such as: Superintendent of Greenville County Rehabilitation Center which was the first in the early 1950's to employ African Americans as correctional officers in the Southeast; he eliminated segregated facilities for staff before an Court Order as the Warden of Central Correctional Institution; abolished segregated inmate housing in 1968 as the Director of South Carolina Department of Corrections; initiated aggressive minority recruitment and established a Public Services Careers Program for recruiting and training unemployed and underemployed minorities for correctional careers before the passage of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act; he hired the first females to work in male facilities in previously male-held positions; in 1986 he established a Women Security Officers Task Force of randomly selected female security officers to study issues facing women officers which included job/shift assignments, training, advancement and career limitations. Further training programs were added to facilitate this new policy and to enhance understanding regarding sexual discrimination and harassment. Mr. Leeke's professional career and noted achievements allowed him to be published in numerous professional publications and to conduct numerous speeches and testimonies during his directorship. Mr. Leeke worked under six governors during his tenure at SCDC. In 2001, a resolution was passed naming South Carolina Department of Corrections Headquarters as the William D. Leeke Building in honor of his life dedication to the correctional institution. Bill enjoyed his many golf outings after his retirement with his dear friends, Rod Smith, Sterling Beckman, Conrad Godshall, Jim Harvey and others that loved to duff around with him. Talking about the old days at Corrections with friends like Paul Weldon, Bill Lark, Ken McKellar, George Martin, Jesse Strickland and Charlie Porter were also part of his great memories. He was known to enjoy a great steak; and time spent with Linda, his adored wife and the love of his life. Mr. Leeke was predeceased by his parents; and his brother, Dr. Henry Thomas Leeke, Jr. Those left to cherish his memories and legacy are his loving wife, Linda Lennon Leeke; three daughters, Leslie Steis (Ron), Sallie Golden Ransom (John), and Alicia Leeke; three grandchildren, Tyler and Michael Golden, and Brian Lawson; a sister, Jane Leeke Baylis; two sisters-in-law, Lisa Fitzgerald and Martha Leeke; mother-in-law, Edna Lennon and numerous nieces and nephews; his loving cats Marion and Della, along with a host of other loving relatives and friends that will miss him dearly. A private inurnment service will be held at a later date.