William B. MacLea, salesman

William Baynes MacLea, a retired industrial salesman whose career spanned three decades, died of heart failure Monday at his Towson home.

He was 81.

The son of a lumberyard owner and a homemaker, Mr. MacLea was born in Baltimore and raised in Roland Park. He attended the McDonogh School and graduated in 1949 from the Severn School.

In his youth, he worked for the family business, MacLea Lumber Co., in Baltimore.

After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and was stationed in Japan during the Korean War.

After leaving the service, he attended the University of Virginia, where he studied history and played lacrosse.

In 1956, he joined the Maryland State Police and served as a trooper until leaving in 1960, when he enrolled at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Mr. MacLea went to work in industrial sales in 1963, and during his career with Gates Energy and later Panasonic, his customers were primarily the federal government and the military.

He retired from Panasonic in 1993.

A resident of Lombardy Place in Towson for 50 years, in his retirement he coached lacrosse at Pikesville High School.

He also enjoyed playing golf and tennis, and was a former member of the Baltimore Country Club.

Mr. MacLea was an avid vegetable and flower gardener.

He was a longtime member of Towson Presbyterian Church, 400 W. Chesapeake Ave., where a memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Surviving are his wife of 50 years, the former A. Priscilla Fringer; two daughters, Jennifer MacLea Arrogancia of Rodgers Forge and Beth MacLea Mealey of Towson; two brothers, Harry "Duke" MacLea of Perry Hall and Robert MacLea of Old Greenwich, Conn.; and two granddaughters.

fred.rasmussen@baltsun.com