In memoriam: William O. "Captain" McLean, associate dean emeritus of the Notre Dame Law School

William O. “Captain” McLean

William O. McLean, associate dean emeritus of the University of the Notre Dame Law School, died Nov. 19 (Tuesday). He was 91.

A native of Greenville, Sick., McLean was a 1957 graduate in college administration from the University of New Mexico and held master degrees in international affairs and education from George Washington University and Notre Dame, respectively. He also was a graduate of the U.S. Naval War School.

McLean entered the U.S. Navy in 1943 as a naval aviation cadet and retired at the rank of captain 32 many years later on. He came to Notre Dame as a professor of naval science and commanding officer of the Navy ROTC following having served as the senior Navy member of the U.S. delegation to the 1969-1972 Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) with the Soviet Union. He received the Legion of Merit, a presidential award, for his part in people negotiations.

Following his retirement from the Navy, McLean worked for a few months in Notre Dame’s economic support office ahead of joining the Law College as assistant dean in 1975. McLean had agreed to a short, six-month appointment, but was persuaded to stay in the Law College administration for the following 19 many years, overseeing a dramatic expansion of services, an boost in applications and the acquisition of new computer technological innovation.

At Notre Dame, each prior to and soon after his retirement from the Navy, McLean was universally and affectionately acknowledged and addressed as “Captain,” and he remained a conspicuous presence on campus in the many years following his retirement from the faculty. “The Captain loved our students,” stated Rev. David T. Link, former dean of the Law College. “From his first glimpse of them in their application papers, via their graduation and past, Captain served as friend, mentor and even surrogate father. He rendered reliable advice, emotional support and tireless work. And the students loved him.”

In 1993, people students established in the Captain’s honor the William O. McLean Award, to be given annually to the person who has manufactured the greatest contribution to the lives of Notre Dame Law College students. They named McLean its first recipient.

McLean is survived by his daughter Mary Leigh Hennings of Dayton, Ohio son and daughter-in-law Danny and Cyndi McLean of Poulsbo, Wa. grandchildren Holly Gossett and Norm Lacey, Deborah and Cameron Allen, Kerrigan Hennings and Kyle Bonnici, Kevin and Katie McLean, Brian and Katie Sprague, Max Milligan and Tom Gossett excellent-grandchildren Lexi and Casey Gossett, Morgan, Maddie and Connor McLean, Ethan and Lucas Sprague and Lucy McLean Allen.

Donations in McLean’s memory may be made to the Notre Dame Law School’s McLean Fellowship, 2100 Eck Hall of Law, Notre Dame, IN 46556.

In memoriam: William O. "Captain" McLean, associate dean emeritus of the Notre Dame Law School