Dick and Barb Weaver — a love story

As Christians, we are called to love others as much as we love ourselves. Loving someone every day is not easy. Dick and Barb Weaver, however, have loved each other for the past 60 years.

Dick and Barb met at Glenway Golf Course by luck. Dick was hoping to get some golf in, but there was a three hour wait for the next tee time. Barb was scheduled to go by herself. The tee box worker said that they would ask Barb if Dick could join her. Reluctantly, Barb said yes. Looking back on that day, Barb is happy she agreed to play golf with a UW student from Louisiana.

After they got married, Dick went to work for the Exxon Oil Company. His job required frequent moves. The Weavers and their three kids lived all over the world, in places like Houston, Saudi Arabia, England, New Orleans, Alaska, California, New Jersey, Columbia and Russia. But no matter where the Weavers were, one thing stayed the same — family.

“I think that in terms of our marriage, we have worked together to keep our family together, moving about every two to four years,” Dick Weaver said. “Your family was your core when you moved suddenly.”

When asked what has kept them together all these years, the Weavers said family and faith. While the Weavers bounced between Lutheran and Presbyterian churches, they found a faith community in almost every city they moved to. They’ve been members of Good Shepherd for the past 15 years.

“We moved a lot, but we always shared faith somewhere.” Barb Weaver said. “When we didn’t, we knew something was wrong.”

Even with family and faith at the forefront, every day was not perfect for the Weavers. Like all couples, Dick and Barb did not see eye to eye on everything. But Dick believes the key to a successful marriage is agreeing to disagree.

“One has to be tolerant of differences,” Dick Weaver said. “We’ve appreciated the differences and, for the most part, respected them.”

Both have continued to respect and love one another through retirement. They love to host community events, visit their three kids and five grandkids and attend Good Shepherd at 9 a.m. Dick is also a member of the Men’s Ministry. While the Weavers have been members of many church communities, they are thankful to be a part of Good Shepherd.

This March, the couple plans to spend a month in Palm Desert, California, where their daughter lives. But no matter where they are, the Weavers are thankful for their 60-year love, family and faith.

“We’re very, very blessed. We really are — to be together, to have the means, to keep our home and to live.”