William DeKleine was born November 28, 1877 in Jamestown, Michigan. He was a graduate of Hope College, Northwestern University, and the University of Michigan School of Public Health. He practiced medicine in Grand Haven, Michigan from 1906 to 1914. He next directed the tuberculosis survey campaign for the Michigan Board of Health from 1915 to 1917. He served as health officer of Flint, Mich., from 1917 to 1922, and of Saginaw, from 1922 to 1925.
DeKleine directed the child health demonstration at Mansfield, Ohio, under the American Child Health Association in 1925, and under the Commonwealth Fund at Fargo, N.D., in 1926-27, and at Salem, Ore., the next year. DeKleine became associated with the American Red Cross in 1927 during the Mississippi flood. From 1928 to 1942, DeKleine was Medical Director of the Red Cross and supervised medical and public health work in areas stricken by floods, tornadoes, fires, drought and other disasters. This included the Southern floods of 1929 and 1939, the drought in Arkansas and other states in 1931, aftermaths of tornadoes in Alabama and other states in 1932 and after the New London (Tex.) school disaster in 1937. From 1944 to 1947, DeKleine was State Health Commissioner of Michigan. For the remainder of his life, he returned to private practice. He died September 20, 1957.
From the guide to the William DeKleine papers, 1914-1955, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)
