David Rhoads Weimer

David was always an adventurer at heart, even from a young age. While growing up in the small town of Mansfield, Ohio, David fed his curiosity about the world by reading prodigiously – a habit he would maintain throughout his life. A true Renaissance man, David was not only captain of his Oberlin College fencing team, he was also a gifted musician, performing the challenging Grieg piano concerto at the age of 16.

While attending Oberlin, David met his first wife, Pat Millar, and the pair settled in New Jersey, where they raised three children (Mark Weimer, Britton Weimer, and Noelle Weimer Roso). David served as Professor of English at Rutgers University for 33 years, receiving a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to teach in Brazil. While at Rutgers, he met his second wife, Joan Myers Weimer, with whom he shared over 50 wonderful years. The pair eventually retired in Tucson, drawn to the area by its stunning mountain vistas.

In his later years, David fulfilled his life-long dreams of adventure as he and Joan travelled to Egypt, Europe, and South America. David was also a published author, penning everything from investigative pieces for the New York Times to academic works and suspense novels. And he was passionate about human rights causes – especially ending the torture of political prisoners – and actively engaged in Amnesty International’s work in Brazil.

Even up to his death, at age 96, David was warm and witty, beloved by family and friends alike. He was greatly loved – and will be deeply missed – by his children and their spouses (Joan Weimer, Judy Weimer, and Calvin Roso), his four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and the extended Weimer and Myers families.