Leslie and two older brothers John and Ronald were  born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are descendants of a William McWillie and a Helen Milne who were married at Botriphnie parish, Scotland, on May the 1st, 1832.  William died in Scotland as a young man in June of 1841.  Following William's his death the mother, Helen Milne, took her children and immigrated to Montreal, Canada where she had other relatives.  William and Helen had a son John who married a Jessie Crearer in Montreal and who also had a son John who married a Winnifred Annie Lowery in Montreal in 1917 and were the parents of Leslie MacWillie and his two brothers John and Ronald.  While young children,  that  family moved to Englewood, California, in the United States in the early 1930's.  Poor economic conditions in Montreal had prompted the move to California.  Although their father still maintained interest in Apartment Blocks back in Montreal, they spent the rest of their lives in California, except for brief periods during the summer months when the family travelled back to Montreal to visit relatives and have a vacation while the father attended to their buiness intrests in Montreal.

 

Leslie married Hortensia (Toni) Diaz.  They lived in San Fernando, California and had three children.  Leslie retired from the local Fire Department after many years of service.  Both Leslie and Toni found interest in family and country history.   It was Toni who searched for and made the first contact with Web Master, Robert McWillie, of this web-site, and then  followed up overtime by making major  contributions in the compiling material on their family history for our McWillie Family Archives.    

Leslie also took a great interest in recording the family history but was also and still is an active member in an Antique Automobile Club "THROTTLERS" which restores and put on annual antique car shows in the local area.  The annual show is sponsored by The San Fernando Valley Model T Club.   During the show a pancake breakfast is available as well as other snacks and hamburgers for the members, volunteers, and the public. These gatherings  provide the opportunity for the members view and exchange and trade information on their various individual restoration projects.  Although the show welcomed all types of antique vehicles, they specialized in the Model T Ford cars.

 

 

The 2007 show was held on October 7th at the Johnny Carson Park, at Burbank, California. Always taking a great interest and participating in these annual events was Ronald MacWillie jr. of Lakewood, California, the son of Leslie's brother Ronald Sr. Ronald Sr. was also a collector, specializing in firearms, and had amassed a great collection during his life-time. Ronald Sr. lived at Cottonwood, Arizona  with his wife Rita.  Unfortunatly he passed away in 2002 at Cottonwood, Az.