Don Alan Weimer

Don Alan Weimer, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, mentor and friend, passed away after a bodysurfing accident in Hawaii. He was 74. It is a small comfort to know that he would have appreciated leaving the world living life to its fullest. He used to say, "I hope at my funeral you can laugh at the dumb things I did."

He is survived by: his wife, Christine Linder; his children Nicole (Gregory) Busch and Jonathan Weimer; his grandchildren Josephine, Charles, Samuel and Anneliese Busch; his sister Dale (John) Rose; his brother Christopher (Connie) Weimer; his nieces Sarah, Tessa, and Devon (whose birthdays he never forgot); and his grandniece and grandnephew, Kestrel and Soren. He was preceded in death by his mother, Susan.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Don had a difficult childhood. His father was an alcoholic who abandoned the family when he and his siblings were young. His mother struggled to care for three young children while holding down a full-time job. Don was thrust into the role of caretaker at an early age, making dinner for the family as a fourth grader. Rather than crumbling under the weight of these trials, these experiences became a springboard for what Don would later become. While his father had failed to support his family, Don would become the stalwart caregiver to anyone fortunate enough to receive his support.

Don enrolled in the University of Wisconsin, where a plan to get a bachelor's fizzled due to his non-scholastic interests. His time there, however, was not a loss, as he met his future wife of nearly 50 years, Christine Linder, under a tree in Madison. The location of the tree became a matter of debate between them in future years, while the nature of the non-scholastic activities was never fully divulged to his children.

Don and Christine moved to Milwaukee, where they began a family and Don found work as a machinist. They purchased a house in the city for one dollar as part of a program to revitalize distressed neighborhoods and renovated it mostly through their own labor. Don became increasingly involved in the union. They had a daughter, Nicole, and a son, Jonathan. During this time, Allis Chalmers left Milwaukee and he was laid off. These were not easy years—money was tight and responsibilities abundant—but Don dedicated himself fully to his family as loving husband and father.

He returned to school, then obtained an advanced degree, and would eventually become an economics instructor at the Milwaukee Area Technical College. Later, he would tell people that he had decided on this job years before, and that slowly and resolutely, he pursued this goal. Passionate about helping students avoid financial missteps, he developed a personal finance course and wrote an affordable textbook to accompany it.

Don's other defining trait, apart from the immense care he provided others, was the diversity of his interests. To his numerous hobbies, he showed the same level of passion and discipline as he did to any of his endeavors. He earned his black belt in karate in his mid-forties, and after too many broken toes, he traded martial arts for music. Don learned flamenco guitar, practicing nightly until the end of his life, and performed with Siempre Flamenco, a Milwaukee-based Flamenco music and dance troupe, as El Viajero. He became fluent in Spanish, spending time on sabbatical in Seville taking language classes and lessons in Spanish guitar. He was an avid world traveler and would tell stories of his adventures trekking through Nepal and negotiating for guitar parts with a Moscow shopkeeper. He biked regularly and had taken up swimming in recent years.

Don was a treasured, longtime member of the First Unitarian church, where he sang in the choir, chaired the Building Committee, and mentored many young people as a leader of the youth group.

He readily transitioned to grandfather to his four grandkids in Maryland. During his regular, extended visits, he acted as a third parent, taking them to birthday parties, scouting activities, swim lessons and school concerts. He introduced the older children to his favorite movies, like Terminator, Speed and The Abyss. He cheered them on at their sporting events, and chatted with the nearby parents, happily taking off his shoes on warm spring days to stick his toes in the grass.

The Memorial Service for Don will be held on March 29th at 2pm at First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee at 1342 N Astor St, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

Donations in his honor may be made to the First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee or WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's National Public Radio.