Henry Braxton Weaver Jr.

Buck Weaver (Henry Braxton Weaver, Jr.) passed away peacefully at home on March 11, 2019.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Mary "Mamie" Welborn Weaver and Henry Braxton "Brack" Weaver, Sr. and his beloved wife of sixty-nine years, Janey McLaughlin Weaver.  He is survived by his daughters - Gayle Weaver Moore (Lanier Fogg) and Lynn Weaver Williams; grandchildren - Tracy Moore Weaver, Nancy Moore Dyson (Robbie), Barkley Williams Matthews (Marlin), Marna Jane Bevill (Zach) and Charlie Williams; and great grandchildren - Caitlyn Weaver, Jimmy Weaver, Lilly Dyson, Jackson Weaver Bevill, Ida Bevill and Mary Braxton Matthews.

Buck was born in Blackville, South Carolina on July 31, 1920 where his father worked with AT&T. The family moved to numerous towns in North and South Carolina, including Charlotte, Greensboro, Goldsboro and Burlington, as his father oversaw the conversion from telephone operators to automatic dial.  He graduated from The Citadel in 1941 with a BS degree in Civil Engineering.  He continued his education with professional development courses in Engineering at Auburn University and with the American Management Association.  He was a Registered Professional Engineer in Alabama.

During World War II, he was a US Air Corps pilot, instrument instructor and graduated from the Air Staff and Command College.  He retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Following World War II, he began his career with Clow Corporation as a sales engineer.  Subsequently he was Southern Sales Manager, did a tour of duty with Metters Clow in Australia, was General Manager of the Foundry Division, and Manager of New Products Corporate Research and Development.  He then organized and was president of Clow International, marketing all Clow Corporation's products for the water and wastewater fields, severe service valves, and piping for the power, petroleum and petrochemical industries.  After retirement from Clow Corporation, he formed Overseas Corporation, specializing in international marketing and engineering of solid waste systems.

In 1953, Buck joined Mountain Brook Baptist Church where he helped build the first couples’ class, taught junior high boys and then became a member of the Dr. Nelson Sunday School Class.  He served as Chairman of the Board of Deacons, became a lifetime deacon and was the last surviving member of the Sanctuary Building Committee.  As a member of Mountain Brook Baptist, he volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and Builders for Christ.

He was an active volunteer and leader for various civic and professional organizations. He was Chairman of the Alabama Export Council; President, Director, and Man of the Year of the Alabama World Trade Association; President and Director of Associated Industries of Alabama; Member of the Governor's International Advisory Commission; Chairman of the Industrial Division of United Way; and a sustaining member of the International Advisory Board.  He served on the boards of the Business Council of Alabama, AmSouth Bank, Dixie Electric Manufacturing Company, the YMCA of Greater Birmingham, and Junior Achievement of Greater Birmingham. He was a member of The Rotary Club of Birmingham, The Country Club of Birmingham, where he was a member of the No Name Golf Team, and The Club Incorporated.

While stationed at the Birmingham Army Air Base in WWII, he met his future wife, Janey, and they were married six months later.  After the war, they lived in Dallas, Texas, where their two daughters were born.  They were transferred back to Birmingham, Alabama in 1952, where they lived and raised their children.  The move also afforded him the opportunity to further his relationship with the McLaughlin clan in Leeds. As an only child, he longed for a larger family and he embraced and adored all of Janey’s giant family as they embraced and adored him.

He was the faithful patriarch of his family who lived a life of service to his church, family, community, state and country.  He taught his children and grandchildren to respect all people and carefully listen to and consider other’s views. At the same time, he had a wonderful sense of humor, which he was able to use to put people at ease. He was also known for playing some outrageous pranks on his friends. His daughters have fond memories of Buck and Janey as frequent chaperones for their various teenage activities where they were not only welcomed, but genuinely enjoyed, by all of their friends. The grandchildren remember being entertained by him balancing a spoon on the end of his nose or flipping cream cups (even though sometimes they did explode). Buck would also stand his granddaughters on his feet to dance with them at the country club. With Overseas Corporation, he and Janey were able to travel the world and they formed many life-long friendships on these ventures.  Occasionally his children and grandchildren joined them on these travels, enriching their lives and exposing them to the beauty and wonder of the world.

The family would like to thank those who helped care for him in the last year, especially Jessica and Seth Wells and Ashley Quinn.  They particularly recognize the devotion shown by Donna Carroll, which enabled him to continue his active life of dining out, traveling and attending plays and concerts. 

A celebration of his life will be held in the Sanctuary of Mountain Brook Baptist Church on Friday, March 22 at 11:00 am.  Visitation will follow in Hudson Hall.  In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Jim Moebes Endowment Fund at Mountain Brook Baptist Church, Habitat for Humanity, Builders for Christ or to the charity of the donor's choice.