April 12, 2009
Denfeld Alumni News

Hall of Famer Mickey McClelland dies on Easter Sunday

Michael "Mickey" McClelland, the first recipient of the Walt Hunting Award as the top male athlete at Denfeld, died on Easter Sunday, April 12, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minn.

A member of the Hunter Hall of Fame, McClelland was a versatile athlete at Denfeld, lettering for three years in football, basketball, baseball and track.

He excelled in track and field in the high and low hurdles, setting several school and district records, and winning the high hurdles at the Minnesota state track meet in 1956. He was also Denfeld's homecoming king his senior year.

He graduated with the class of 1956 and went on to attended the University of Minnesota, where he played football as a freshman. He later attended the University of Minnesota Duluth and the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

McClelland served in the Minnesota Air National Guard with the 148th Fighter Wing for seven years. He was a bartender by trade, working in Duluth and Superior, and later at the Hole-in-the-Wall Casino in Danbury, Wis.

He was born on July 19, 1938 in Duluth to Earl and Effie (Pihlaja) McClelland.

He is survived by his companion Teddie Hirsch, stepdaughter Jamie East; step granddaughter Jackie McKay, "son" Matt Swenson, cousin Molly Wright of California and many other cousins of the Pihlaja, Pary and Jacobson families.