EDITORS NOTE: The headline of this story was edited to reflect that Jim Weaver was ONE of Park City's oldest living residents. Thanks to Robert Richardson's family for correcting the error. Bob Richardson was born in the Park City Miners Hospital in 1927 and still resides in Park City. He will be 95 in May!
Jim Weaver was born in Park City in 1932 and lived in Old Town all his life. His father was a miner for United Park City Mines, and as was the fate of many miners, died before his time, of silicosis – a lung disease suffered by many miners.
Jim Junior also worked in the Park City mines, but at age 28, after graduating from the University of Utah, he went to work for General Electric, as a machinist, until retiring early at 55.
According to Andy Cier – who called Jim a friend and fellow parishioner at St. Mary’s - retirement allowed Jim the time to do a lot of volunteer work in the Park City Community, helping many miner widows, like his mom.
“There were a lot of widows in town that Jim would help out with he and another fellow would help fix you know, their washing machine or their clothes dryer or their car or something like that," Cier explained. "He would just volunteer, and he was kind of the guy that just helped people out. And then he also really helped at St. Mary's - he would shovel the steps in the sidewalks and get up on the roof. He would be on the roof in his 70s shoveling the roof off of St. Mary's. And so, he was just always helping people and just the nicest guy on Earth, just incredibly generous and kind to people and always had, you know, a nice thing to say to somebody.”
Weaver he said also had an amazing memory, especially of Park City’s early days.
"He could remember stories from Park City from when he was a little kid because I think he was probably born in '32," Cier said. "And so he remembered Park City in the late 30s. And then to 40s. He had an amazing memory."
According to his obituary, Jim attended Marsac Elementary School and Park City High School, where he lettered in football, basketball, and track. He received a scholarship to play football at the U.
Weaver lived for years in his house on Hillside Ave. before moving to his home on Woodside.
He is survived by his three children and four grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Feb. 12 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on White Pine Canyon Road. Rosary is at 11:30 am. Visitation is at noon and the Funeral Mass is at 2 pm.
Interment will be at Park City Cemetery at a later date.
