Robert Walter Weinig

78, passed away peacefully at his home in South Natick on Sunday, August 10. A beloved, respected and generous husband, father and grandfather, he spent his final days in the company of his wife, Virginia, and their children and grandchildren. Mr. Weinig was born in Columbus, OH on August 3, 1930, the son of Robert Frederick Weinig and Catherine Walter Weinig. He grew up in Sioux City, Iowa, and then attended Vermont Academy, from which he graduated in 1948 and went on to Dartmouth College. After a season on the college's football team, he gave up football to pursue skiing, and was a member of Dartmouth's alpine, nordic and ski jump team until he graduated in 1952. He then served in an anti-aircraft battery in the Army, where he was promoted to Lieutenant. Following his discharge from the Army, he attended the Tuck School of Business Administration, graduating with an MBA in Finance in 1955. After graduating from Tuck, Mr. Weinig joined the management consulting firm of Duff & Phelps in Chicago, IL in 1958, he met and married Virginia Doree of Barrington, Illinois. They settled in Barrington until 1967, moving from there to Wellesley, Massachusetts when Mr. Weinig was hired as Assistant to the President of Eastern Enterprises (formerly Eastern Gas & Fuel Associates) in Weston. He was quickly recognized for his astute financial mind, and became Chief Operating Officer in 1985, and eventually Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1991. In this capacity, he was responsible for creating a solid financial structure for the company's business activities, developing rigid strategic planning processes, and moving the company into lucrative new energy fields. In addition, Mr. Weinig was known for being an early proponent of clean and renewable forms of energy, for promoting women and minorities to leadership positions within the company, and for his high ethical standards. Mr. Weinig had a life-long passion for the outdoors, and was an avid sailor, gardener and birdwatcher. He established a scholarship fund at Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary to provide funds for children to attend summer nature camp. He also served on the Broadmoor Sanctuary's Board of Directors, and he and Virginia enjoyed many birdwatching trips together around the United States, Canada and South America. Mr. Weinig also served on the boards of the Shawmut Bank, the Boston Museum of Science and the Chapaquoit Yacht Club. Mr. Weinig was also a committed historian and collector of works of English and American literature. He was extraordinarily well-read in world history from ancient to modern times, with a particular interest in Greek, Roman and World War II history. He was also a talented artist, painting water birds and landscapes of Cape Cod, where three generations of the Weinig family have enjoyed summers together since 1968. Mr. Weinig will be much missed by his wife and their three children, Katrina, Stephen and Cynthia; their spouses, John, Wendy and Bryan; and grandchildren Sophie, Tessa, Grace, Haley, Toby, Emmet and Eleanor. A private service for family and friends will be held in September. Memorial contributions are suggested in lieu of flowers, and may be made to Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary's Weinig Scholarship Fund, 280 Eliot Street, Natick, MA 01760. Arrangements made by John Everett & Sons Funeral Home.