Class of 1945
1945 Graduation EditionPerry Daily Journal
Wesley A. Leatherock
Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. K. Leatherock, 901 Jackson street, Wesley A. Leatherock, 16, will probably enter the army’s student training reserve program after graduation, but he is eyeing newspaper work as his postwar field.
He was a member of the student council from 1940 to 1942, has played in the Maroon band five years, was in both the junior and senior class plays, in the Junior Honor Society in 1941-42, and was president of the local National Honor Society this year. In addition to being home room secretary this year, he managed the winning band queen candidates three years, 1942 through 1944, and was manager of losing football candidates twice, 1942 and 1943.
He was born August 12, 1928, at Clinton, but has had all his schooling in Perry. He is a member of Teen Town, Order of DeMolay, Presbyterian church, and Sons of American Legion.
Wesley Allison Leatherock
August 12, 1928 – January 6, 2018
Wesley A. Leatherock, 89, died January 6, 2018.
Born in Clinton, Oklahoma on August 12, 1928, he was the son of Wesley Kenneth and Avis M. Allison Leatherock. At 16, he was the youngest person in his 1945 graduating class at Perry high school.
Following his graduation he had summer employment as a sports writer at the Daily Oklahoman. He had already gained experience for this job by working as a sports and news reporter for the Perry Daily Journal during his senior year.
Wesley continued his education for four semesters at Oklahoma University, where he pledged Phi Eta Sigma, national honorary scholastic fraternity for first year men, and served as campus correspondent for the Oklahoman. Wesley transferred to Oklahoma A. & M. for the remainder of his college studies, where he belonged to a social fraternity, Phi Kappa Psi, and was initiated into the honorary fraternity, Pi Gamma Mu, a national social science honor society. During his three semesters at Oklahoma A. & M. he was also employed as a student instructor of news-writing and typography. He graduated with a bachelor of arts degree and was also commissioned as a second lieutenant in the officers reserve corps.
Upon the completion of his education, Wesley returned to the Oklahoman and Times as assistant state editor. On April 10, 1949, he and fellow PHS alumna, Gloria Dee Wills, were married in Perry. They established their first home in Oklahoma City. In addition to working for the Oklahoman multiple times, during his career he purchased the Konawa Leader, a weekly newspaper in Konawa, Oklahoma, and accepted a position with the Dallas United Press association bureau. In 1956 he joined the public relations department of the Southwestern Bell Telephone company in Dallas and was soon promoted to division information supervisor for Southwester Bell in Austin, Texas. In 1958 he transferred to the general headquarters office of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company at St. Louis, Missouri, as a production assistant. In 1959 the family made their final move back to Oklahoma City, when Wesley was appointed the information supervisor for the company in Oklahoma City. They lived in The Village for more than 50 years.
Predeceasing him in death were: his wife of 65 years, Gloria; son, Cyrus Wesley; parents; and sister, Marianne Baker.
Survivors include: his son, Jeff and wife Lisa, and grandchildren Stephanie, Kyle, Zane, River, and Araina.