Alexa Doiron
communitynews@ourvalley.org
Walter Scott Weaver, 93, of Christiansburg passed away on Aug. 12. Weaver was a charter member of the Christiansburg Rescue. Weaver was an active member of the community from the rescue to serving on the Christiansburg Town Council. In 1947, Weaver began his service to the community by volunteering with the Rescue until he was granted life membership in 1975.
Weaver was active in the Radford community, serving as the treasurer of Radford University. Weaver was also a proud WWII US Army veteran and member of the Lion’s Club of Christiansburg. He was also member of St. Paul United Methodist Church and chairman of the NRV Agency on Aging.
“He was very conservative and conscious of those in the community,” Mayor of Christiansburg, Michael Barber said.
For the NRV Agency on aging, Weaver worked on the developmental team and he was also a founder of Warm Hearth Village. The nonprofit community of Warm Hearth Village was founded in 1974 by Wybe and Marietje Kroontje, Dutch immigrants who came to the U.S. after World War II. Dissatisfied with the conditions they observed in “typical” nursing homes of the day, and eager to give something back to the country that had given them so much, Wybe and Marietje began making plans for a senior living community different from others. Weaver participated in this experience by heading the developmental committee and advocated for a community for his peers that were seeking a home to safely and comfortably grow old.
“Some of my fondest memories of Weaver were just sitting around and talking about things over bingo,” Barber said. “He was penny-wise and dollar smart. A true gentleman.”
In addition to this, Weaver was also the treasurer of Planning Commission, which provides area wide planning for the physical, social, and economic elements of the district; encourages and assists local governments in planning for their future.
Weaver is remembered for his dedication to the community through these activities and many others. Not only did he participate in creating a better community for all, he also enjoyed simply spending time with his fellow peers. Many people remembered him, as being wise and thoughtful and the New River Valley region would not be the same without him.
The funeral service was on Tuesday at St. Paul United Methodist Church, where he had been a member for years. Rev. Paul Song and the Rev. Neal Turner officiated the service. Turner was a longtime friend of Weaver and is currently head of the Christiansburg Rescue Squad. Interment followed in Sunset Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorials in Weaver’s name may be sent to Christiansburg Rescue Squad, Good Samaritan Hospice or the children’s music ministry at St. Paul United Methodist Church.
