Services to honor and celebrate the life of William "Bill" Weir will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 11, 2020 in the RiverCrest Chapel and Event Center, Bixby. (The service will be live streamed via Bixby Funeral Service's Facebook page.) Interment will follow in Rose Hill Memorial Park, Tulsa. Bill passed away on Thursday, November 5, 2020 in Shawnee. He was 88.
On July 7, 1932, Frederick “Bill” Weir was born in Eldorado, Illinois. He was the second child of Clark and Evelyn (Durham) Weir and was lovingly welcomed by his sister, Barbara. Raised in Flora, Illinois, it was there that Bill attended school. Throughout those years, Bill played the trumpet, in band, and excelled in sports. In fact, Bill even went on to play college football at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
Following his first year of college, Bill enlisted in the United States Navy. It was during that time that he met the love of his life, Bettie Easley, a fellow sailor. As the story goes - Bill was already engaged to be married, but that quickly changed once he laid eyes on Bettie. The feeling was mutual, as Bettie let a friend know that she would marry “that guy”. Bill and Bettie said “I do” on January 17, 1953 and have enjoyed 67 wonderful years together.
Through the years, the Weir family grew with the birth of children: Virginia, Roxanna, Tresa and David. Bill was very supportive in his role as father. He was an encourager to each child as they participated in their various activities and he even helped coach some of their sports teams. However, let there be no mistake, church was always a top priority in the Weir household.
A graduate of California Baptist College and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Bill spent his life serving the Lord through ministry. He did this in the capacity of youth minister, music minister, and as an educational minister. He would be called to various churches in California, Texas, Missouri, and Oklahoma including: First Baptist, Woodland Acres, and Garnett Road Baptist Churches in Tulsa.
Described as the guy who showed up first and was the last to leave, Bill did not approve of his children being late for church. He did his part to ensure this would not happen as every Saturday night he set out to shine, not only his, but every member of his household’s Sunday shoes.
A man who, despite his reverence, still knew how to have a good time, Bill will be remembered for dressing up, in costume, for fall festivals. Those costumes best remembered were his attempts to recreate both Top Cat and the Pillsbury Doughboy. His daughters also remember him sledding down the hill, with them, and getting in trouble by Bettie when he tore his church pants.
Bill, and the entire Weir family, have also had to live through some very difficult times too. None more difficult than when they lost their son, David. They also lost a baby boy at birth, Daniel.
A story that might depict how Bill’s faith withstood these storms occurred in his own life when, on vacation and at a lake, he parked the family car uphill. The parking brake somehow became disengaged and he began to run after his car as it was rolling backwards toward the lake. Unable to catch the car, he simply watched as it went underwater. There were contents in the car that he was hopeful to recover. None more important to him than his Bible. Would you believe that, not only was it able to be recovered, but it somehow remained completely dry. Trials we all will endure, but the Word of the Lord stands forever and Bill firmly believed that Truth.
Faithful, kind, gracious, comforting, steady, calming, confident, and generous are all words that help to describe Bill Weir. He demonstrated this in every facet of his life. This loving husband, father, grandfather, pastor, and friend will surely be missed by those who knew and loved him.
He is survived by: his loving wife, Bettie Weir; his daughters: Virginia Diane Weir, Roxanna Kay Baldridge and husband, Sandy, and Tresa Lynn Griffith and husband, Richard; daughter-in-law, Lisa Thomas and her husband, Terry; 12 grandchildren and a host of great-grandchildren and other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by: his parents; sister, Barbara and two sons: Daniel Cliett Weir and David Clark Weir.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of William Frederick Weir, please visit our floral store.