Samuel N. Weigle, Col.,U.S.Army (Ret.)

Samuel Nathaniel Weigle passed away Monday morning August 8, 2011. He was preceded in death by his parents and younger brother, Julian. Samuel was born July 16, 1915 to Nathan & Hattie Meyer Weigle, Davenport IA, the grandson of German/Bohemian Jewish immigrants. He graduated from Davenport H.S. in 1933, where he lettered in Forensic Debate and was active in the ROTC as a Captain. He attended St. Ambrose College, Davenport as an Economics major 1933-35 and then went to University of Pennsylvania 1939-41 where he received a BS in Economics. Between colleges he worked as an assistant manager of his father's business, Weigle's Women's Style Shop in Davenport, as a newspaper reporter and photographer, a junior accountant for a CPA firm, and a salesman.

Samuel was inducted into the army in 1941. Samuel taught artillery at the United States Army Artillery and Missile Center at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He also served in Manila, Philippines until July 1946 when he was released from active duty. He met his sweetheart, Mary Strubhar, who worked for the Red Cross, in Manila. They were married August 9, 1946 in Chicago and celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in heaven.

In Chicago, Samuel and Mary started their family. Martha was born in 1950, then Frank in 1952. Needing a larger residence, they moved to Elmhurst, IL where they stayed until 1984, downsizing then to Wood Dale, IL. In 1988 they retired to Little Rock, AR, getting away from the cold and snow, where they lived until Mary's health began to decline.

March 17, 2003 they moved into a retirement home in Westminster, CO to be near their children and grandchildren. As Mary needed more extensive care, they moved to Sunny Acres in Thornton, CO in June 2005. Mary passed away there on March 7, 2006. In May 2006 Samuel moved to San Marino back in Westminster. December 2008, seeing a new retirement home open in Arvada, CO closer to the Jewells, he moved to Arvada Estates. Because of his declining health, in March 2011 Samuel made his last move to Balfour in Louisville, CO to be close to Frank.

Though finished with active duty, Samuel joined the Army Reserves as an instructor in a civil affairs unit where he earned the rank of colonel, and is a lifetime member of the Reserve Officers Association of the U.S. Samuel was recently inducted into the Field Artillery Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame. Samuel's decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asian Pacific Campaign Medal, the Philippine Liberation Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the Armed Forces Medal.

Samuel started his accounting career with Spiegel Inc. in Chicago in 1947 as budget manager and retired in 1973. But he worked just as hard as a volunteer for many organizations. He was a member of two school boards in DuPage CO., Ill, a hospital volunteer, lifetime member of Kiwanis International, became a member of three Shrine temples: Medinah in Chicago, Scimitar of Little Rock, and now El Jebel, Denver.
He is a 32 degree Mason, a member of International Supreme Council Order of Demolay, a lifetime member of the Illinois Congress of Parents and Teachers. He was a leader with the YMCA Indian Guides program and Boy Scouts of America. And because of most of these efforts he was named Citizen of the Year, 1980 in Elmhurst, Illinois.

Samuel & Mary enjoyed many activities together, from square dancing to a play reading group. They also loved to travel, visiting every continent, except Antarctica. Have camera will travel was one motto. He loved photography and was a member of many camera clubs winning numerous awards.

Since living in Colorado, he also became a Rockies fan, going to games with son, Frank for Father's Day and birthdays the past several years. He just celebrated his 96th birthday with a Rockies game in July. Go Rockies, Go Samuel!

Samuel is survived by daughter Marty (Stan) Jewell of Westminster, CO, son Frank Weigle of Lafayette, CO and grandchildren Rebecka and Aaron Jewell and Annika and Elias Weigle.

Because Samuel had the health care of children as a charity concern, in lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to Shriners Hospitals for Children, c/o of El Jebel Shrine, 4625 West 50th Avenue, Denver, CO 80212, attention Susan Boles. Or gifts may be sent to the Rocky Mountain District Kiwanis Foundation (which will go to the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute) P.O. Box 1566, Arvada, CO 80001. For both, please mention the Samuel Weigle memorial fund. Thank you.