Vernon D. Weaver

Retired corrections officer
Vernon D. Weaver, 78, of Alamogordo, died Tuesday, March 17, 2009, at his home.
Vern was born in Wenatchee, Wash., on July 1, 1930, to Wayne and Lois (Stauffer) Weaver. He joined the Army in 1947 and served in Korea and Japan. Later he became a disc jockey and met his wife, Bernita "Bert" Griffeth. They married Jan. 29, 1964, in Coeur-D'alene, Idaho. In 1971 he and his family moved to Portland, Ore., and he spent the next 23 years as a corrections officer for Multnomah County in Portland. In 1994 he moved to Alamogordo where he lived for 15 years with his wife, Bert, daughter Stacy and granddaughter Kobi. He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as a devoted caricaturist. His sketches and drawings are displayed throughout Alamogordo.
He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents Art and Iva Stauffer and sister Donna Preston.
His surviving family includes his wife of 45 years, Bert Weaver, of the family home; his children Bradlee Jackstadt and his wife, Julie, of Scapoose, Ore., Tammy Ives and her husband, Duane, of Washougal, Wash., Stacy Weaver, of Alamogordo, Sheree McCandles and her husband, Steve, and his "adopted" son Patrick Tedford and his wife, Javonna, of Alamogordo; his grandchildren Jennifer Dye and her husband, Jon, of Portland, Jamie Ives and her fiance, Ben Lauber, of Washougal, Wash., and Kobi Weaver, of Alamogordo; his great-grandchildren Ethan and Dillion Dye, of Portland, and Sydney and Rylee Lauber, of Washougal; and special friends Dorothy Steele and Marion Rupert, of Alamogordo.
Vern was an amazing man, respected by everyone he met. He was loving and touched the lives of everyone around him. He could light up a room with his presence and knew how to put people at ease. You could always count on him to tell a joke or story and have the whole room laughing. The most amazing thing about him, though, was how he saw the good in everyone. No matter what kind of life a person has lived before, Vern didn't care. He showed everyone respect, and extended a hand of service anyway he could. He changed many lives by simply being a friend and mentor to all. He will be dearly missed.
Funeral services will be conducted Monday, March 23, 2009, at 10 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Bishop Samuel Becerra officiating.
Committal services will follow at 2 p.m. at Fort Bliss National Cemetery with military honors by the U.S. Army.
Pallbearers will be Bradlee Jackstadt, Floyd Griffeth, Samuel Becerra, Randy Clements, Richard Peterson and Mike Hamberlin. Honorary pallbearers will be Frank Ashdown, Don Ashdown, Carl White, Minus Wright, Glen Mitchel and Jack Stauffer.
Friends may call Sunday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Hamilton-O'Dell Funeral Home.
To sign the online guestbook, please visit

www.hamiltonodell.com