Beth McLeod, the meteorologist wife of Fred McLeod, the play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Fox Sports Ohio, was looking forward to a pleasant week. On September 8, she wrote on Twitter, “May tomorrow be a perfect day…Goodnight everybody.”
Tragically, it was not to be. On September 10, 2019, the Cavaliers announced in a sad post on the team’s website that Fred McLeod has died. He was only 67-years-old.
“It is with the most extreme sadness that the Cleveland Cavaliers share that Cavs and Fox Sports Ohio play-by-play announcer Fred McLeod died suddenly Monday evening,” the team wrote. Fred McLeod was felled by a heart attack, according to Cleveland.com.
Beth gushed about her husband lovingly on social media over the years, and theirs was a long-term marriage.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. LeBron James Joined the Team in Offering Condolences to Beth McLeod, Who Called Fred Her ‘Best Friend’
Beth and Fred McLeod.
Tributes for Fred McLeod – and condolences to Beth – abounded on social media after the announcement. Only four days before his death, Beth posted a photo of the couple on Facebook and wrote, “Happy anniversary to my best friend, my partner in crime— Former-Fox 8(CBS) employee Fred McLeod ❤️??.”
On September 1, 2019, she wrote, “Today is FRED MCLEOD day!!! Say Happy Birthday Freddy!! ??.”
“The entire Cavaliers organization mourns the loss of their great friend and teammate,” the Cavaliers wrote in a statement. “Fred’s deep love for Cleveland and the Cavaliers was clearly evident in everything he did in and around the community and on-air during his more than 1,000 Cavalier game broadcasts. He was a true, heart-felt ambassador for the team, fans and entire greater Cleveland community.”
LeBron James expressed shock on Twitter, writing, “Man WHAT!!!!??? ??OMG this is extremely sad. @CavsFredMcLeod. May you rest in Paradise my friend! @BethHMcLeod my prayers sent up above to you and your family!! ?? ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ #RIPFred.”
2. Fred & Beth Were Married for Almost Three Decades & He Left Behind Three Children
Beth McLeod
The Cavaliers offered condolences to McLeod’s family in the announcement.
“The Cavaliers extend our deepest condolences to Fred’s entire family, including his wife Beth, mother Marilyn, sister Lynn, and his three children, Sean, Jenna, Molly and each of their families,” they wrote.
Beth’s cover photo on Twitter is of her husband. They have been labeled a Cleveland “power couple.” They met through broadcast television, she told Cleveland.com, saying, “We met through CBS when Fred worked for the CBS affiliate in Detroit and I worked for CBS Sports out of New York.”
Fred McLeod mentions Beth in his Twitter profile, writing, “Cavaliers Play-By-Play voice, get exclusive weather forecasts from Beth McLeod of WOIO, proud Strongsville Mustang.” His last post on Twitter came two days before his death and was a retweet of a weather forecast by his wife.
3. Beth McLeod Works as a Meteorologist at Fox8
Beth McLeod
On her Facebook page, Beth wrote that she works at Fox 8 News and worked at WXYZ-TV Channel 7, WOIO Channel 19, WDIV and Local 4 / ClickOnDetroit. She studied at Michigan State and Mississippi State universities and went to Northville High School.
She is a metereologist at WJW Channel 8 in Cleveland. FabWags reports that Beth is 54 and was born Elizabeth Heather Henningsen on March 31, 1965.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/BethHMcLeod/photos/?tab=album&album_id=649013058444075
In 2015, Beth explained how she chose weather forecasting, saying, “I was in sports and then started to do everything like traffic and the lottery. Then I trained and studied and went to weather.”
4. Beth Recently Posted About Baking & Attended a Browns Game With Her Husband Shortly Before His Death
Beth McLeod
Beth’s tweets showed nothing amiss. She posted about loving to bake on the evening of September 9. Her Twitter profile reads, “I LOVE: my Husband, Rescuing Dogs, the CAVS, Red Wine … I’m a Spartan, Family person & a Foodie. That’s my life. Plus: Emmy Winner. So Blessed.”
Truth: I love to bake!
According to Cleveland.com, Beth and Fred attended the Browns game Sunday September 8, 2019. They had been married for 28 years, according to the site.
She lived in Bay Village as a child but her family moved to Detroit, the site reported. Her social media accounts are filled with expressions of love for her husband, photos of them together, and pictures of the couple’s dogs.
5. Beth Described Herself as a ‘Casual Girl’
Beth McLeod
Despite her dolled up television appearance, Beth told Cleveland.com that she’s the opposite at home.
“I’m really a casual girl. On weekends I wear little makeup, jeans and flip-flops. Fred’s the TV makeup guru, the looks, everything,” she told the news site.
According to the Cavaliers, Fred McLeod “grew up in nearby Strongsville, Ohio. He was the Cavaliers television play-by-play announcer on FOX Sports Ohio since the 2006 season. He was about to embark on his 14th consecutive season, and 15th overall, as he served in the same capacity with the Cavs during the 1979-80 season.”
In addition to his play-by-play duties, the team wrote, “Fred also served as the Cavaliers’ Executive Producer for Multimedia, providing fans behind-the-scenes access on Cavs.com, Cavs HQ, Twitter and Facebook with daily updates and interviews during the season.”
That’s a wrap @NFL Pre-season! With the ultimate Buckeye @chris_spielman Thanks for the fun- bring on the regular season #NFL100
The team called McLeod “one of the most accomplished and respected announcers in the NBA,” adding that he had recently “celebrated his 36th season of broadcasting games, having also spent 22 seasons announcing Detroit Pistons games, prior to returning home to join the Cavaliers in 2006. Fred spent the 1979 MLB baseball season in Cleveland as well, as a TV announcer for the Cleveland Indians. His diverse and extensive sports broadcasting career also included time with the NFL’s Detroit Lions and MLB’s Detroit Tigers.”
READ NEXT: Fred McLeod’s Life & Death.