Gerald “Jerry” L. Weaver
April 25, 1933 – October 27, 2011
Gerald “Jerry” L. Weaver, 78, passed away on Oct. 27, 2011 in the South Wind Hospice House in Pratt.
Jerry was born in Winfield on April 25, 1933, the beloved son of Gerald N. and Vina V. Weaver of Pratt. He grew up in Marquette, Obelin, and Pratt.
His father, a music educator, started him playing the trumpet at age 3. As a youth he trained at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and planned a symphony career until a truck accident in high school crushed his mouth. He then switched to the saxophone and drums and played in prominent Kansas dance bands to finance his college education.
Jerry graduated from Pratt High School in 1951. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from Kansas State University in 1957 and an M.S. in Technical Education from Pittsburg State University in 1971.
From 1958 to a debilitating stroke in 1994, he was a practicing architect designing over 2000 residences, commercial buildings, institutional and religious facilities throughout central and western Kansas.
His first studio and art gallery was located in Pratt from 1958 to 1966 where his buildings still remain. The sandcastings on the façade of the Pratt Tribune building were his creation.
Mr. Weaver was department head and technical drafting and graphics instructor at Northwest Kansas Area Vocational College in Goodland (1966-1969), dean of occupational and continuing education at East Central College in Union, Mo. (1969-1972), and professor and department head of design, technical graphics and computer graphics at New Mexico Junior College, Hobbs, N.M. (1982-1989).
He authored “Structural Detailing for Technicians” (McGraw Hill, 1974), “Fireplace Designs” (F& W Publications, 1993) and several other books and articles on blueprint reading, solar energy, energy conservation, and technical education.
After his stroke in 1994 until 2009 Jerry turned his design talents to creating over 300 Native American style hand-carved drums which were sold in galleries in the Southwest. He performed and talked about drumming and Native American spirituality. He was a member of the Lewis United Methodist Church.
In 1997 Jerry won a competition for a sculpture installation at Inter-Faith Ministries Program Center in Wichita. Entitled “Ascending Together in Joy,” it visually depicts Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.” Stylized steel figures wrap and mobile above a 10.5’ multi-layered wooden structure which was built by Jerry’s friends.
His faith, patience, perseverance, and positive attitude were and will remain an inspiration to all who knew him.
Jerry was married to Charlotte Walker Weaver in August 1958 in Beloit. He married Joan LaRue Holborn on Nov. 22, 1986, in Carrizozo, N.M.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents and great-grandson Montel D. Weaver.
Jerry is survived by his wife Joan of Lewis; his sons, Jerry B. Weaver of Austin, Texas, and Stewart T. Weaver (Denise) of Andover; daughter, Krista S. Blaes (Charles) of Wichita; two stepsons, Melvin Ty Holborn (Heather) and Christopher M. Holborn (Tracy) both of Manhattan; foster daughter Lydia McLane of McKinny, Texas; his grandchildren. Jerry B. Weaver, Jr. (Patricia Orozco), Geoffrey Weaver, Brittany Weaver, Jordan Weaver, Christian J. Blaes, Parker Holborn, Pierce Holborn, Adam and Andrew McLane; and two great-grandchildren, Densell A. and Desirae G. Weaver.
Published in the Pratt Tribune, on November 11, 2011
