Eugene Kenneth Weathers Jr. of Fayette died Tuesday (Sept. 2, 2008) at Boone Hospital Center in Columbia. He was 72.
Gene, as he was known, was born Aug. 20, 1936, in Knoxville, Tenn., a son of Eugene Kenneth Weathers Sr. and Norabelle Duncan Weathers. He graduated from Fayette High School. Gene attended Central Methodist College, where he was an active member of the Alpha Phi Gamma (a.k.a. “the Mokers”) fraternity and graduated in 1958 with a bachelor of arts in economics, political science and history. He earned his teacher certification in 1959 from Southeast Missouri State University and began teaching social studies at Sweet Springs High School. In 1962, Gene continued his teaching career at Francis Howell High School in St. Charles County as a social studies teacher. During his 30-year teaching career, he earned his master’s of education in secondary administration and pioneered the gifted education program at Francis Howell. He was an active member of the teaching community. Above all, he loved his students.
Gene became legally blind at the age of 17 due to Stargardt’s Syndrome, a juvenile form of macular degeneration. He became a disability rights advocate in local, state and national organizations, including the St. Charles Council of the Blind, Missouri Council of the Blind, American Council of the Blind and the National Association of Blind Teachers. He also served as chairman of the Missouri State Independent Living Council.
For four decades, Gene was able to live independently with the assistance of a dedicated cadre of “readers,” young people hired to help him with a variety of tasks necessary in daily life. His readers included students from the United States, South Africa and Mexico. He enjoyed the company of these vibrant young people and truly cared about their growth as young adults.
Gene retired to Fayette in 1991 where he enjoyed the amenities of small town life. During this period, he traveled to Wales, Ireland, England, Scotland, Eastern Europe, Spain and Vietnam with the educational fraternity PDK. He traveled throughout mid-Missouri with “the Lunch Bunch,” sampling food and drink at area establishments, continued his active mentoring of students, engaged in lively political debates, listened to vast numbers of books on tape, stayed up-to-date on scientific developments as reported in Scientific American and other publications.
He also researched the history of Howard County, the Civil War and Weathers’ family genealogy.
He hosted yearly gatherings of friends from around the United States, as well as hayrides for Central Methodist students.
He is survived by a daughter, Katherine Weathers Franz and husband, Marty, of Sunnyvale, Calif.; a granddaughter, Christina Mare Franz; a niece, Gwyndolyn Weathers of Fayette; a nephew, Duncan Weathers of wife, Susan of Denton, Tex., and their children, Corey and Timothy. Also surviving is his former wife, Mary Ann Coldwater of St. Charles, Mo. and his sister-in-law, Barbara French of Virginia, Ill.
His parents and a brother, Benton Weathers, preceded him in death.
Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Carr-Yager Funeral Home in Fayette. The family will host a reception following the services at the funeral home. His cremated remains will be buried at Walnut Ridge Cemetery.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Wolfner Library Trust Fund, P.O. Box 387, Jefferson City, MO 65102.
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