During 30 years in education, Carl Greenleaf was a cheerleader, disciplinarian and role model for students and staff.
“As a principal, you have so much influence on the individual child from choosing the right staff to choosing the curriculum materials,” said his son, Mark. “He really enjoyed being at the elementary level and influencing the teaching and learning that went on in the school.”
Mr. Greenleaf, 80, who worked at the former Hillcrest Elementary School in Hoffman Estates for 18 years, died Sunday, May 28, in Centegra Memorial Medical Center, Woodstock, of complications after a fall last week.
“His great attitude rubbed off on the people that worked with him and they emulated the quiet, patient listening skills that he had,” said his friend and fellow retired District 54 principal, Bob Hanlon. “He loved working with the kids and parents.”
He was raised in Waukegan, graduated from Waukegan Township High School in 1943 and enlisted in the Army.
His unit fought in Europe and after V-E Day returned to the U.S. for 30 days before it was redeployed to the Philippines.
“His was one of the few units to serve in both the Pacific and European theaters of the war,” his son said.
Mr. Greenleaf was eligible for a Bronze Star but wasn’t told until nearly 40 years after the war ended, his son said, because the Army had lost records in a fire. He received the medal in 1984 during a ceremony at Ft. Sheridan.
He graduated from Lake Forest College in 1950 and received a master’s degree in education from the University of Illinois in 1959. Mr. Greenleaf met E. Anita Knutson when they were both living in Waukegan and they married in 1952.
Mr. Greenleaf began his career as a teacher in Morris. He was a principal at elementary schools in Verona, Elburn and Lake Forest before moving to Schaumburg-based District 54 in 1967.
He became principal of Hillcrest, where he stayed for 18 years until the school closed. He delayed his retirement for a year to coincide with the school’s closing, Hanlon said.
Hillcrest was one of the first schools in the district to have a bilingual program, Hanlon said.
Mark Greenleaf said that colleagues tried to persuade Mr. Greenleaf to get a doctorate and become a superintendent. “But he said he wanted to be in the schools where the learning was happening.”
Mr. Greenleaf’s greatest attribute was his listening skill, Hanlon said.
“We were very independent in how we worked at that time,” Hanlon said. “We were given a school and told to make it work. But Carl not only wanted things to run, he wanted his staff to feel good about it.”
After his retirement in 1985, he drove a school bus for a few years and also taught people preparing to take the U.S. Postal Service exam.
Eleven years ago, Mr. Greenleaf and his wife moved into his son’s Woodstock home. His wife died in 1997.
“It was a blessing for my kids to be raised with a grandparent in the house,” his son said.
Mr. Greenleaf was a past commander of the Lake Forest American Legion Post 264.
Other survivors include two stepsisters, Mary Gordon and Marcia Lloyd; and five grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday in Grace Lutheran Church, 1300 Kishwaukee Valley Rd., Woodstock. Services will follow in the church.
