William (Bill) Eugene Weber, age 80 of Culbertson, Nebraska was born April 29, 1940 in Palisade, Nebraska to William Theodore Weber and Beaulah Lorraine (Edgett) Weber. Bill passed away on November 6, 2020.
Bill spent his childhood at the family home near the Hitchcock / Hayes County line in Nebraska where he attended school in in a one room school house. Family was engaged in farming and ranching and Bill learned the skills of what would be a large part of his adult life. After attending Culbertson High School, Bill joined the United States Air Force achieving the rank of Airman 1st Class – E3. He served honorably until December of 1959. While serving at Beale Airforce Base in Northern California he met the love of his life Susan Jean (Dethlefsen) and they were married in June of 1960 in Marysville CA. Bill worked as a farmhand around Wheatland CA.
In June of 1961 the couple was blessed with a daughter Ronda Lea followed by a son William Theodore in December of 1962. Around this time the family moved to Roseville, CA and Bill got a job working on the new dam across the North Yuba River at Bullard’s Bar. Short while later the family moved to a 5 acre farmstead in Rio Linda, CA. The house provided room for the family to stretch out and provided a wealth of adventures for his young children and their cousins. Bill continued his construction career working on projects around northern California in places like Antioch.
Following the death of his brother, Richard, in 1970 the family returned to Culbertson, Nebraska so Bill could assist his father in the operation of the family farm. Bill also did custom hay work for many of the farmers around Culbertson with his Heston Stackhand as well as other work as it came.
After selling the family farm Bill operated a farm near Blackfoot, Idaho growing wheat, barley and potatoes. This meant he had to learn a whole new crop and the ins and outs of the potato business. It also meant many trips back and forth between Nebraska and Idaho for him and the family during the summers. Bill made many friends in Idaho during this time that lasted many years after he returned to Nebraska.
During this period the family was joined by three nephews: James, Aaron and Scott Walker. The family lived in a small house on the west edge of Culbertson. Though crowded, it was full of love and provided the younger boys a base of adventure for many hunting expeditions. After a few years Bill and Susan would move the family across town to Wildman Street to a larger house. During this time he also started a gravel business, B&B Gravel, out of Palisade, Nebraska. After selling the farm, Bill & Susan purchased the old Thompson’s IGA building in Culbertson. They turned this into the Bear Cave Bar & Grill, a much needed business in the small village. The Bear Cave provided a meeting and gathering place for people across the eastern part of Hitchcock county. Bill followed this enterprise with creating a trucking company, Bill Weber Trucking, that specialized in small loads of hotshot freight.
Bill was known by many to be a good friend and a helping hand when needed. He spent many days in the outdoors hunting and fishing or teaching his children, nephews and grandchildren how to shoot, hunt and fish. He enjoyed this more than anything as it was his way of teaching lessons in hard work and the reward of a job well done.
Proceeded in death by his son William T. (Billy), daughter-in-law Jodie (Tessendorf), father William, mother Beaulah, infant brother Douglas, brother Richard Lee, sister Barbara Jane Ozbun and sister Imogene Lorraine (Jehorek) Beisner
Bill is survived by his wife of 60 years, Susan; his daughter Ronda (Erdman) and friend Joe Bunnell of Palisade, Nebraska; three grandchildren, Brock Erdman and wife Amy of Copperopolis California, Nicholas Erdman and wife Tina of Culbertson, Nebraska and Abraham Weber and wife Taylor of Culbertson, Nebraska; and five great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters Mildred Brady of Albuquerque, NM, Lillian Tucker of Wichita Falls, TX and Darleen Henderson of Omaha, NE; as well as many nephews, nieces and close friends
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel, 607 Norris Avenue in McCook, Nebraska. Burial will follow at the Culbertson Cemetery in Culbertson, Nebraska.