COREA – Preston Ricketts Weaver, 87, passed away peacefully Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008, at his daughter’s home in Vero Beach, Fla. He was the devoted husband of the late Virginia Lee Blair, who said of him, He is such a wonderful person and has helped me at all times. He was the proud father of 16 children, a loving grandfather to 41 grand-children and 27 great-grand-children and a treasured uncle to his many nieces and nephews. Preston was born March 29, 1920, in Rockville, Md., to the late George and Bessie (Ricketts) Weaver. He graduated from Rockville High School and attended St. Joseph’s Prep School, Baltimore, Georgia Tech and the University of Florida. Preston married Virginia Lee Blair at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Rockville, Md. Preston served in World War II as a communications sergeant in Patton’s 3rd Army, the 87th, Golden Acorn, infantry division in central Europe. His campaigns included Ardennes, the Battle of the Bulge. He received an EAMET Campaign Medal, three Bronze Stars, a Good Conduct Medal and a Distinguished Unit Badge. Preston’s career as an electrical engineer, 17 patents are registered with the U.S. Patent Office naming Preston as the inventor, took him and his family to Colorado, New York, Long Island, N.Y., and finally to Rocky Hill and Newington, Conn. Preston retired in Corea, where he lived until moving to Vero Beach, Fla., with his daughter. Preston was not the sort to concentrate on one thing. A natural problem solver, he applied his strong work ethic, human ingenuity and a dry sense of humor to all his endeavors. His inventions included an accelerometer used in the Apollo Rocket. His soldering skills produced elegant valentines made from coat hangers. He designed and made furniture for his family and toys for his grandchildren, repaired the plumbing and wired the fuse box in his homes. He was an avid outdoorsman. Preston enjoyed fly-fishing for salmon, training his beagles, playing tennis and flying kites. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, the Holy Name Society at St. Mary’s Church, past communicant of St. James Church, Rocky Hill, Conn., and a licensed Ham radio operator, call sign N1ZDO. He volunteered as an instructor at Narraguagus High School, Cherryfield, and was active in several grassroots organizations, among them the Ned T. Cole Revitalization Corps. Preston is survived by his sons, Timothy Weaver of Rocky Hill, Conn., Patrick Weaver of Corea, G. Michael Weaver of Plymouth, N.H., Stephen Wea-ver of Cromwell, Conn., Mark Weaver of Branford, Conn., Joseph Weaver of Durham, N.C., Luke Weaver of Germantown, Md., John Weaver of Colchester, Conn., and Edward Weaver of Gouldsboro; his daughters, Gayle Mooney of Fairfield, Calif., Mary Force of New Canaan, Conn., Ann Weaver of Vernon, Conn., Kathy Duerr of Vero Beach, Fla., Lucile Conley of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Colleen Frost of Ralston, Neb.; as well as 41 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Virginia Blair; his son, Matthew Weaver; and his grandchildren, Daniel Weaver and Shannon Mooney. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Feb. 23, at St. Elizabeth Seton Church, 280 Brook St., Rocky Hill, Conn. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to West Palm Beach VA Medical Center, Attn: Voluntary Services, 7305 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33410, to benefit the Welfare Fund. The family would like to extend their deep gratitude to the Council on Aging and to Cathy Duerr and her family in particular who cared for Preston in his elder years.
PRESTON RICKETTS WEAVER ‘PRES’ AND ‘GRANDADDY’
