In recent years he was out skiing regularly in the field and enjoyed the sight of Bunnyrabbits and Jackrabbits learning how to ski. Nakkertokers will dearly miss seeing Hans on the trails, but we will always feel his presence.
The memorial is Sunday May 31 at 2 pm at the First Unitarian Church at 30 Cleary Avenue.
For the Ottawa Citizen Obituary, click here. For an Ottawa Citizen tribute from May 26, 2009, click here.
If you would like to offer a tribute in writing please send it in and we will post it.
from Jim Bradford, former Nakkertok President:
"In 1990, shortly after I became President of Nakkertok, our clubhouse - Ashbury Cabin - slumped over on its knees, and became unsafe to enter. But we used it that winter anyhow, with great care. Come the spring, we demolished it and started building what was eventually christened the Bunker. The work could never have been finished without Hans the Engineer, who kept finding new ways to solve the problems of demolition and then construction. He unearthed tools and treasures of material from the barn, he and Christoph cut and tractored in beams and posts of cedar and hemlock, and he brought us in power in most mysterious ways. Above all, he kept us going to finish before the snow came, so that Jackrabbits could be grouped and race bibs issued in relative comfort. Nothing that would make our skiing more enjoyable was too much for him.
In 1991, the then Mayor of Cantley was faced with an obligation to the Province of Quebec to connect the Fire Service from Highway 307 to the Chemin St-Amour and Paiement Boulevard residential areas. He also wished to develop a community and commercial hub somewhere off Ste-Elizabeth, away from Highway 307, which would include a new City hall and Municipal offices. He proposed a housing development of about 100 units along the line of the skidoo trail which runs past Morrall Cabin on its way to St-Amour - the idea being to have that development pay for all the costs of the City hall, etc. In the hope of thwarting this, Hans, Christoph, Richard and I variously attended a number of (often hilarious) Council meetings, at which we saw the enormous respect so many people in Cantley had for Hans. That the road was built much further north was very much the result of his impact on his neighbours - in fact, as municipal elections neared, there was almost a "Draft Weber" movement . . We at Nakkertok have long enjoyed Hans' wit and his huge and generous dedication to the club, but we should also make sure he is remembered in the Community in which he lived."
from John Burrows:
Last February, due to having broken a ski on yet another North to South excursion, I hitchhiked to South and got there earlier than my fellow skiers, which led me to a visit with Hans and Meg. While I was there, Meg said “Hans, you should show John your arctic movie.” And so I spent the next hour absolutely amazed at the work Hans and his fellow scientists did in the Canadian arctic. At the time, Hans was a visiting scientist from Switzerland. Among other things, he was the expedition photographer. Due to weight restrictions, he was only allowed to take about an hour of 16 mm film to record an entire summer’s expedition. The quality of the photography is exceptional and it was fascinating to see Hans in his prime. ASK MEG TO SHOW YOU THIS CD!
Hans was a Canadian arctic pioneer. But for most of us who have never been to the arctic, we will remember Hans for being one of the key pioneers of Nakkertok Ski Club. For 35 years, Hans and Meg Weber have made an incredible contribution to the enjoyment of outdoor activities for hundreds (thousands?) of young people and their families through the establishment of Nakkertok and the use of the Weber land. It is an amazing sight to look from the entrance of the Weber home to the field below Johansenhaus and see 150 children enjoying themselves. Hans accomplished a great deal in his lifetime and if we the present members of Nakkertok keep things moving and growing, Hans’ accomplishments will compound in the future. As the column in the Globe and Mail would claim….this was a life well lived.
from Dave Mallory:
My good fortune was to first meet Hans in 1976. I was fortunate enough to consider Hans and Meg as friends from that time.
There are many stories but one statement from him stands out in my mind.
Shortly after Hans retired I mentioned to him that without the constraints of a regular job he could now do whatever he wanted. With a wry smile his quiet reply was “I always have”.
Few of us have that wisdom.
