Eldon Daniel Weber

Other Events:

• Interesting: story, genealogy, public service
• Public Service: Waterloo Regional Heritage Foundation, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Waterloo Regional Heritage Foundation member
• Eby ID Number: 00127-7895.1000a
• Residence: 1921, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

"Eldon D. Weber, President of OGS, 1975-1977, died on 26 February 2004 at the age of 90. He was born in Berlin, Ontario, in 1913, the son of Ephraim Weber and Maria Steckle, and remained proud of his connection with both these pioneer Waterloo County families. He was a longtime member of the Pennsylvania-German Folklore Society, and was present at the PGFS meeting when OGS was founded. He became active provincially at an early stage, serving as a provincial director 1970-1971, and as vice-president before becoming president.

Among his undertakings at the provincial level was a projected series of county-wide gravestone readings, Monumental Transcriptions (1977). Unfortunately, only the first volume, concerning Simcoe County, was published. He chaired Seminar 1976, held in Waterloo. OGS awarded him an honorary life membership in 1984.

Throughout the 1970s he was also active locally, helping to found Waterloo-Wellington branch in 1973, editing its newsletter for many years and serving as chair 1978-1982. Access to two ledgers of 1870s Waterloo County births and deaths led him to publish them, many years before the Registrar-General officially released the information to the public.

As well as genealogies of the Weber and Steckle families, his greatest contribution to family history in Ontario was in the republication of Ezra Eby's Biographical History of Waterloo Township (1895) in 1971. He combined the original volumes and the 1931 supplement with maps and other new material and, most usefully, an every-name index. This publication, referred to locally simply as 'The Eby Book', is the first port of call for Waterloo County genealogists. It had become a rare book, but the Weber edition is available in libraries across North America.

His reputation in the community meant that many Mennonite families deposited copies of documents with him. His papers are now at Conrad Grebel College, University of Waterloo.

In addition to his genealogical work, Eldon was active in the United Church of Canada, both locally in Kitchener-Waterloo and at conference level. The KW Council of Churches named him Layman of the Year in 1969. He also served on the board of the KW Humane Society for almost forty years from 1944.

Following his retirement from active committee work, his second marriage to Helen Merner gave his old age a new outlook and much happiness."

https://www.ogs.on.ca/ogs/aboutus/obits.html

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It has pleased our heavenly Father to call out of this life the soul of Eldon Weber. He departed this world peacefully at Grand River Hospital at the age of 90.Eldon is survived by his sons Ross and Bryce, their wives Kate and Janet and grandson Daniel, all of Melbourne, Australia, his step-daughters Joyce Stuckhardt and Deborah Wolf and husbands Ron and Grant, his sister-in-law Grace Weber (Baer) and many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his first wife Laura (Mather) in 1985, his second wife Helen (Merner) in 2003 and his four siblings Clayton, Ion, Mervin and sister Laura. He will be fondly remembered by Helens extended family.Eldon's family will receive relatives and friends from 12 noon until 1:30 P.M. Saturday, February 28, 2004 at the Henry Walser Funeral Home, 507 Frederick St., Kitchener (749-8467) followed by a funeral service in the chapel of the funeral home at 1:30 P.M.
Rev. Adrian Lindsay officiating.Interment First Mennonite Cemetery followed by a reception in the funeral home.As expressions of sympathy donations to the Canadian Diabetes Association or the First United Church Extension Fund, Waterloo would be appreciated by the family

Eldon — Laura Mary Mather. Laura (daughter of John A. Mather and Mary Ellen E. Philip) was born 1 Oct 1920, , Grey Co., Ontario, Canada; died 25 Dec 1985, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , First Mennonite Cemetery, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Eldon — Helen L.. Helen was born 1918; died 2003; was buried , Woodland Cem., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]