Wilbur Oscar Weisser

WILBUR WEISSER WILBUR OSCAR WEISSER WAS BORN AT ASHLEY, ND ON DECEMBER 17, 1922, THE SON OF JAKOB AND KAROLINA (HEUPEL) WEISSER. HE GREW UP ON THE FAMILY FARM NEAR ASHLEY ATTENDING A RURAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND GRADUATED FROM ASHLEY HIGH SCHOOL. HE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA IN 1949 WITH A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN EDUCATION AND EARNED A MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS IN 1953. HE FURTHERED HIS STUDIES AT PURDUE, WESTERN MICHIGAN AND OHIO STATE UNIVERSITIES. WILBUR TAUGHT MATHEMATICS AND SERVED AS AN ASSISTANT COACH AT THE CARRINGTON, ND HIGH SCHOOL 1949-1953. HE AND LOIS JOSEWSKI WERE MARRIED ON AUGUST 20, 1950 AT MAXBASS, ND. THEY MOVED TO STAPLES, MN IN 1953 WHERE HE TAUGHT MATHEMATICS AND SERVED AS AN ASSISTANT TRACK COACH AT THE STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL. IN 1956 THEY MOVED TO DICKINSON, ND WHERE HE TAUGHT MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS AND SURVEYING AT DICKINSON STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE. IN 1957 THEY MOVED TO GRAND FORKS WHERE HE JOINED THE PHYSICS DEPARTMENT FACULTY AS AN INSTRUCTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA. HE ADVANCED TO THE RANK OF ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AND THEN SERVED AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PHYSICS DEPARTMENT FROM 1973 THROUGH 1987. DURING MOST OF HIS TENURE HE SERVED AS REGIONAL COUNSELOR OF HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICS IN NORTH DAKOTA FOR THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICS TEACHERS. HE RETIRED IN JUNE 1987. WHILE GROWING UP WILBUR ENJOYED THE MANY VARIED ACTIVITIES ON A DIVERSIFIED FARM. THE WORK RELATED TO THESE ACTIVITIES BLENDED WELL WITH 3 YEARS OF MEMBERSHIP IN A 4-H CLUB. WILBUR WAS ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN GARDENING WHICH HE LEARNED FROM HIS PARENTS AND ENJOYED THROUGHOUT HIS ADULT LIFE. HE ALSO ENJOYED A VARIETY OF SPORTING ACTIVITIES AS A SPECTATOR, ESPECIALLY FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL. HE SERVED AS OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER FOR THE UND BASKETBALL GAMES OVER A PERIOD OF 20 YEARS. HE PARTICIPATED IN LEAGUE BOWLING FOR MANY YEARS. DURING HIS UNDER GRADUATE YEARS AT UND HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE UND BOXING TEAM. HE LOVED TO PLAY POOL, CARDS AND OTHER COMPETITIVE GAMES AS WELL AS HUNTING WATERFOWL AND UPLAND GAME. WILBUR ESPECIALLY LOVED FOLLOWING HIS TWO GRANDSONS, MAX AND DUDDY PLAY COMPETITIVE TENNIS. HE WAS THRILLED AS A PROUD GRANDPA WHEN IN 1997 THEY WERE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE GF CENTRAL TENNIS TEAM THAT WON THE ND STATE TITLE. WILBUR WAS A MEMBER OF BPOE (ELKS), AARP, GRHS (GERMANS FROM RUSSIA HERITAGE SOCIETY), AS WELL AS THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICS TEACHERS. FOR THE LAST 1 ½ YEARS WILBUR LIVED WITH HIS HEARTHSTONE FAMILY AT 4000 VALLEY SQUARE. OUR FAMILY WISHES TO THANK JANET, TORI AND ALL THE HEARTHSTONE STAFF WHO CARED FOR WILBUR WITH SUCH LOVE, KINDNESS, RESPECT AND DIGNITY. WILBUR HAS ONE LIVING BROTHER AND SIX LIVING SISTERS: OSWALD (ALMA), ASHLEY, ND, LEOTA STADING, BISMARCK, ND, LORRAINE (REINHOLD) DOCKTER, ASHLEY, ND, ELEANORA SACKMANN, CARSON CITY, NEVADA, ANNA (ELROY) WALKER, ASHLEY, ND, MAVIS GALL, FARGO, ND, AND LILLIAN (LAWRENCE) DOBLER, BISMARCK, ND. DECEASED SIBLINGS: FRED, RICHARD, URBAN, ROLAND, HERTHA GROSZ AND OLGA OLSEN. WILBUR IS SURVIVED BY SONS: STEVE (MARGO) GRAND FORKS AND PAUL (LINDA) LACEY, WA. GRANDCHILDREN: COREY (KEATA) PROVIDENCE, KY, AMY (DAVID) WILKINS, LACEY, WA, DUDDY, GRAND FORKS, JOE, SEATTLE, MATT (BRENNA) SEATTLE, WA, MAX, GRAND FORKS. AND GREAT GRANDSON HUNTER, PROVIDENCE, KY. WILBUR WAS A WONDERFUL TEACHER AND VERY LOVING HUSBAND, FATHER AND GRANDPA. THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS HE TAUGHT US ALL WERE IN THE FINAL TWO YEARS OF HIS LIFE, TEACHING US ALL TO LIVE IN THE MOMENT AND TO LAUGH WHENEVER POSSIBLE. WE WILL SO MISS HIS SMILE AND TWINKLE IN HIS EYES. HE WAS A JOY.