Written by Betty LeBlanc 6-15-03
Dad was born December 8, 1923 the 11th child of Howard and Pearl Weaver. Dad was baptized August 22, 1926, at the Saint John’s Reformed Church in Germantown, Ohio.
Some interesting stories of dad’s childhood, as told by his sister, Martha is that she remembers the time that she got blamed for water being pour in the milk buckets as dad tried to get out of milking the cows dry and would pour water in the bucket to make it appear he had completed the milking. Then there was the time he set the wheat field on fire with matches and Aunt Martha got blamed along with dad and got a good spanking by grandpa for that!! Dad and Aunt Martha got caught throwing knuckle punches at each other and for punishment grandpa hung both of them up in burlap bags on a nail for the mischief.
One other story that had been told over the years is the time dad got his foot caught in the manure spreader and had to be taken to the doctor and of course had a nasty scar on the top of his foot. Dad had only a 9th grade education but what he lacked in education he made up for in his carpentry skills.
As Dad got older he stayed for a time with Uncle Fred and Uncle Pete. He had a lot of fun with an old Chevy he had. Him and a good friend, Jim Morrison, did a lot together and made a couple 78rpm records together.
Dad married Doris Jeanne Leatherman on a rainy day in April 30, 1949. Dad and mom met thru a double date. Their honeymoon was a drive-in movie with friends and the Toot Drive-In restaurant.
Dad and mom had 4 beautiful children, Larry, Betty, Delbert and Mary!! Mary only lived for a few weeks. Adam and Doris lived with his father for about a year until they found a home to rent in Calument City in which they lived for about a year. They then moved to Johnsville for a year. The next move was to Farmersville.
Dad worked at the Farmersville Grain Mill for about 22 years. It was always fun to go to the grain mill when us kids were little during the harvest time and play, climbing around on the feed bags. Dad would bring home a pigeon or two for us to keep as pets. The remainder of his career was with the Jefferson Township Street Maintenance Crew.
Some things dad liked to do was make marble board games, martin bird houses and wood gliders.
There were a lot of good times playing marbles, swimming and inner tubing at Blue Banks Gravel Pit, picnics, making homemade ice cream and motor scooter riding. Anyone knowing Dad knew he put up lots of lights at Christmas time on the house and the bird house too!! There were a lot of fun sled rides being pulled behind the old pick-up Truck.
Dad was involved in a hit and run accident, on the job, December 28, 1975. Dad was in nursing home care until he died January 18, 1991.