Ted Weaver (Chester E. Weaver, Jr.) 1937-2024
“We are the Lord’s possessions, whether we live or die; life is just changed, not ended – Christ has risen from the dead! Alleluia!” [St. Paul, Romans] On beautiful Tuesday morning, April 9, Ted Weaver relaxed in his favorite chair, in the comfort of his lovely home, surrounded by generations of photos of loving family. He fell asleep, awakening in the arms of his precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Ted, a lifelong devoted servant of God, was an amazing husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend. Devoted to the Lord’s work daily, he rose early each morning, read his Bible, and went out to seize the day! Whether headed to St. John’s Lutheran Church, delivering food to the Columbia Food Bank, attending community events, visiting with family, neighbors and friends, breakfasting with the “guys,” or patronizing Columbia businesses, Ted was always on the go! And everywhere Ted went, he delighted in running into people in the community and his circle whom he loved and cared about deeply. He was blessed with an amazing gift of gab! He could converse with ease and heartfelt concern with people of all ages, all walks of life. He always had time to stop and chat with friends cultivated from his own childhood and adolescence and from those of his children’s and grandchildren’s, recalling in detail family members and interests of each person. His attentiveness to people extended to his social network at Church, neighbors old and new, those with military interests and connections, flying aficionados, and truly anyone he met. He lived and breathed his Lord’s commandment to love thy neighbor.
Ted adored his late wife, Dottie [Dorothy Louise (Downs) Weaver, 1936 – 2020], his daughters Cindy Ann Weaver, and Terri Lee (Weaver) Hanson [1959 – 1993], and his precious granddaughter, Dr. Tiffany Howard-Kreider, and her son – his Golden Boy and great-grandson – Aidan James Kreider. He was “Dad” to all of us. His love shown to the family was profound, steadfast, and limitless. We are broken-hearted and will carry him in our hearts until we meet again in the Kingdom.
Ted was born January 14, 1937, to Chester Earl Weaver, Sr., his namesake, and Lois (Fry) Weaver, the first of six children. Ted often recalled his father’s dedicated U.S. Navy service that took him to St. Augustine, FL, as a little boy, while his father was stationed there. When the family returned to Columbia, Ted spent much of his youth growing up on Bethel Street. He graduated from Columbia High School in 1955 with a class of wonderful people who remain friends to this day. He loved sports and played center on the Columbia High School Football Team. He was an accomplished trombone player in the high school band and loved music – especially the voice of Frank Sinatra – a love he would later pass on to his great-grandson.
As an adult, Ted took an avid and eager interest in young athletes and sports programs at Columbia High, attending boys and girls games regularly – whether football, basketball, tennis, or track and field, Ted was the Crimson Tide’s faithful cheerleader. When his granddaughter, Tiffany, played tennis, he was a volunteer coach for Columbia Girls Tennis for four years. In fact, when he passed to our Lord, Ted was wearing a Crimson Tide sweatshirt! Equal to his enthusiasm for sports, was his ardent advocacy for his alma mater’s band and the musical program in our schools. He attended countless concerts in support of his children, granddaughter, Tiffany; and great-grandson, Aidan. When Aidan chose an instrument, it was a brass horn, just like “Dad” – in Aidan’s case, a gleaming silver trumpet, presented to him by Ted. Ted delighted to see his grandson march with the CHS Band in parades and at football games, and he never missed a one.
Immediately after graduation, Ted, following a family tradition back to the Revolutionary War, enlisted in the United States Air Force, and his duty began on June 24, 1955, eventually being stationed in Guam and ultimately, Tucson, AZ. He proudly served the United States of America, the country he loved so much, until January 30, 1959, as an Airman Second Class and Navigator. During service, he married his high school sweetheart, Dottie Downs. Ted and Dottie met at a teenage dance at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Columbia, and romance bloomed. They were married at First English Lutheran Church, Columbia, on November 3, 1956, surrounded by the love of family and friends. Their wonderful marriage endured 64 years, until Ted’s beautiful Dottie, passed to the arms of Christ in June 2020. Ted memorialized his Dottie’s gorgeous garden at their Mountville home by commissioning an artist to create a custom garden sign reading “Dottie’s Park.” Until his passing, Ted faithfully and lovingly tended that garden, learning about the rhythms and care associated with shrubs and perennials with the help of his devoted sister, Mary Schreiber, who with her husband, Ted (“Young Ted”) and sister Peg Hollingsworth, were of amazing solace and support as Ted navigated the years after Dottie’s passing. Ted never lacked for exceptional cooking and treats from his sisters, his granddaughter, Tiffany, and the extraordinary neighbors of Summit Hills.
After leaving the military, Ted and Dottie returned to their native Columbia, where lived on South Eighth Street for over 40 years. In 1997, the couple moved to Mountville. Ted always said he was blessed with wonderful neighbors at both his Columbia and Mountville residences – indeed he was right! The family wishes to thank those neighbors who were such amazing friends for decades.
Ted and his daughter, Cindy, shared a keen interest in history – particularly the history of the Weaver and Downs families, and Columbia. Ted could trace his paternal and maternal ancestors back to the founding years of Wright’s Ferry in the late 1730s (now Columbia). His ancestors were Revolutionary and Civil War veterans and rest in Columbia’s historic cemeteries. Ted was a patron of the Columbia Historical Society for many years. He was excited to show his great-grandson, Aidan, the historic train diorama at the Society. In fact, eager to pass on to Aidan the legacy of love of community and tradition that Ted embodied, Ted took Aidan everywhere with him for 15 years, introducing him to generations of family friends, entertaining him at local restaurants – Hinkle’s and Coffee and Cream among their favorites – and visiting the Susquehanna River and Trail Building.
Family vacations were important to Ted, and he and his wife visited Bermuda and Europe. But the most treasured vacations were those with family in Stone Harbor and Avalon, NJ, and later at Hilton Head, SC – playing in the waves with his family. With visits to historic Colonial Williamsburg, VA, he instilled in his daughters, granddaughter, and great-grandson a love for historic sites.
Ted was a true father, guiding, encouraging, and supporting Cindy, Terri, Tiffany, and Aidan in every endeavor. He passed along his love of athletics as he instructed his daughters on the fine points of every sport, introduced Tiffany to tennis, and taught three generations to ride bicycles and drive cars, most recently Aidan, with whom he practiced every Sunday. Ted enjoyed throwing ball with Aidan, taught him to play baseball, and timed his sprints on the streets of Summit Hills. Ted imparted to Aidan the finer points of penny poker and blackjack, and together they loved trying their luck with scratch-off lottery tickets. Ted was proud of Aidan’s aspirations to become an aerospace engineer and his fine accomplishments in the sport of archery – probably the only thing Ted did not personally instruct Aidan in! He was dedicated to mentoring his offspring to be strong Christians. From an early age in grade school, Ted recruited Aidan to usher with him at Church, deliver the Church’s donations to the Food Bank, and converse with his fellow Church members. He was Aidan’s best friend, spiritual guide, and mentor – teaching him to be a true gentleman of the “old school” – a rare breed today -- serving God, family, community, and country. Ted’s legacy lives on in his Aidan.
Ted’s heart swelled with love for Aidan’s mother, Tiffany. Through seven years of college, he urged Tiffany on, moving her to Penn State and then Widener University, and making sure she had wheels to get around. Ted was thrilled when Tiffany graduated with a doctorate in Physical Therapy and went on to shine in her profession. He was honored to walk Tiffany down the aisle at her wedding and dance with her at the reception, as he had done with daughter Terri years before. He was so proud of the incredible holiday celebrations Tiffany orchestrated with delicious food at her loving home.
In the 1980s, Ted pursued his private pilot license and nothing thrilled him more than soaring above the skies, piloting a plane with family and friends. For years, Cindy, Terri, Tiffany, and Aidan were treated to trips to airshows, learning about planes and their history, and enjoying the amazing Thunderbirds and Blue Angels. After retiring from Wyeth, Marietta, after over 34 years of service, where Ted also established a wide web of life-long friends, he worked part-time in the pilot’s shop at Airways, Lancaster Airport, a labor of love. His enthusiasm for flying was legendary!
Ted’s dedication to the military, led him to passionately serve the 11-11-11 Committee, Columbia, as an officer, identifying interesting speakers for the annual November event, including the first female, the most recent addition to Columbia’s Generals Club [Lt. General (ret.) David L. Mann] and the 2023 speaker, Lt. Col. William (“Shamus”) Whitesell, National Security Council, the son of Columbia’s St. John’s Lutheran pastor, Rev. Richard Whitesell. Ted ensured Lt. General Mann’s portrait was added to those of Columbia generals’ portraits displayed at Columbia High School. Ted tirelessly promoted the memory of General Edward Shannon, of Columbia, for whom his wife’s grandmother was cook and private nurse. He was actively involved in encouraging the regrowth of the Columbia Memorial Day Parade, after a pause due to the pandemic. His connection to the 11-11 cause was also fueled by his life-long friendship with Kevin Kraft, Kraft Funeral Home, Columbia. Due to proximity of a family home to Kraft’s, Ted would stop in the funeral home several times a week to talk to Kevin about 11-11 arrangements and veterans’ events, and to converse with his many friends among Kevin’s team. We know they will miss seeing Ted, and we are forever grateful for their steadfast friendship.
One of the most distinguishing characteristics of Ted was his ability to surprise everyone with random acts and gifts of kindness – with devotion, he visited long-time friends in nursing homes; with delight, he delivered to family, friends, and neighbors thoughtful presents: roses or flowers, an interesting item or old-fashioned candy from Hinkle’s boutique, pieces of historic or family memorabilia, a salt pretzel or fruit from Columbia’s Historic Market House, or a sweet treat from a bakery. And boy, did Ted have a sweet tooth. He would always say one needed a sweet after a meal, as well as a cup of Folger’s or Maxwell House Coffee with cream – no Starbucks for Ted!
And in between all of his interests and activities, Ted daily visited graves of Dottie, Terri, and other Downs and Weaver family members at multiple cemeteries, ensuring fresh flowers adorned the sites, even planting his own grass seed! He NEVER forgot a birthday or anniversary of those living or the dearly departed.
Ted is survived by daughter, Cindy Ann Weaver, grand-daughter, Dr. Tiffany Howard-Kreider (DPT), great-grandson, Aidan James Kreider, Columbia; siblings, Margaret Hollingsworth (Thomas), Mary Schreiber (Ted), and their families, as well as Fay Rohrer (Yutan, NE), Deb Renneberg (Ephrata), and Mark Weaver (Deb), Potter Co., and families. He also leaves behind nieces Marilyn Eggers (Beach), Ivanhoe, VA; Nancy Lead (David), Drumore, and Angel Downs, Akron. Surviving is his son-in-law, Mark Hanson, Pittsburgh, and family friend, James Howard, and mother Bernice. The family marks as survivors Ted’s legions of incredible friends and neighbors who touched “Dad’s” life daily and routinely – you were loved, you mattered, and we know you shall miss him! Ted was preceded in death by his parents and beloved wife, Dottie; daughter, Terri; and his beloved black poodle, aged 18, Queenie. He was also preceded into the Lord’s arms by his sister-in-law, Anna B. Downs, to whom he was devoted, and brother-in-law, Thomas Samuel Downs, along with wife Claire and son, Larry Downs.
The family would like to thank our lifelong friends at the Kraft Funeral Home, Columbia, for their love and kindness.
Flowers are appreciated; however, Ted, would have encouraged donations to his church, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Meals on Wheels, or the Food Bank – all of Columbia. In remembrance of Ted, show devotion to your Church, love your neighbors, express kindness to one another, ask after friends, cherish your family, support your community, and love the USA – and do it tirelessly and humbly each and every day. We thank God for the blessing of Ted’s life among us for 87 golden years.
Funeral services for Ted will be held on Monday, April 15, 2024 at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 616 Locust Street, Columbia, PA at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Richard Whitesel, officiating. Family and friends may view at the church one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow with full military honors in Fairview Cemetery, Wrightsville, PA.
Arrangements by the Clyde W. Kraft Funeral Home, Inc., www.clydekraft.com
