Obituary of Kenneth Eugene Weaver

Kenneth (Ken) E. Weaver, the son of Clayton and Lorraine Litsey Weaver, was born June 27, 1942 at the Joslin Hospital in Harper, Kansas. He passed away March 16, 2017 at his home near Strasburg, Colorado, after a courageous 2 ½ year battle with pancreatic cancer. Ken was preceded in death by his parents and his older sister, Janet Farney. Growing up on a farm seven miles northeast of Harper, Kansas with his sisters, Janet and Kathy, Ken led what seemed to him the perfect life. He attended Runnymede, a two room country school near his home, helped his dad with the farming, belonged to 4-H Club, and went hunting and fishing on the Chicaskia River with the neighbor boys every chance he had. Ken’s family was actively involved at the Chicaskia Baptist Church, a little church in the country that his great-grandparents helped establish in 1880. Ken’s four years at Harper High School brought new friendships and participation in activities including band, school plays, football and tennis. His love of cars began during high school and continued throughout his life. After graduating from high school in 1960, Ken attended Kansas State Teacher’s College at Emporia, Kansas, where he graduated Magna Cum Laud four years later with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree. A grant provided by the Kennedy Foundation allowed Ken to obtain his Master of Science degree the following year. Ken was not a typical college student, as he and his high school sweetheart, Dana Olivier, were married during his sophomore year and by the time he graduated two little boys, Scott and Mike, were part of the family. Ken worked throughout his years in college at the Sears Catalog Store in Emporia. A teaching contract with the Jefferson County School District in Colorado led to a career of 34 years as a secondary special education teacher, tennis and track coach and job placement counselor. Ken worked at three schools during those years, including Jefferson High School, Green Mountain High School and Warren Tech Vocational Education School. At each school he was a vital and respected part of the staff. Retirement in May of 1999 resulted in a move to a more relaxed way of life in the rural community of Strasburg, Colorado. Ken and Dana soon became involved in activities at Our Lady of the Plains Catholic Church which enriched their lives in many ways, and resulted in new and treasured friendships. Ken also began teaching classes for Morgan Community College which became an integral part of his life for ten years. Ken embraced life in his teaching career, his friendships and his activities, including climbing Colorado 14’ers, white water rafter, golf, mountain biking trips, 5K races and hunting trips. He loved a variety of music, cars, Civil War history, sporting events, telling stories, his farm land in Kansas, his family, and the many people who made up his large circle of friends. Ken will greatly be missed by his wife, Dana, of Strasburg; his sons Scott of Lakewood; Mike and his wife, Susan, of Highlands Ranch; grandchildren Rachel and Talon of Lakewood, and Matthew, Emily and Wesley Ann of Highlands Ranch, all in Colorado; sister Kathy (Dick) Stine of DeSoto, Kansas; brothers-in-law Dick Olivier and Bob (Arlene) Farney; sisters-in-law Donna Evert and Linda (Fred) Straughn, and eleven nieces and nephews.