Robert S. Weddle (1921-2015)

C'est avec tristesse que j'apprends aujourd'hui — avec quelques mois de retard — le décès de l'historien texan Robert Samuel Weddle (5 juin 1921 — 16 octobre 2015). En effet, M. Weddle avec qui j'ai entretenu une brève correspondance il y a 10 ans m'avait encouragé et assisté dans la publication d'un article intitulé The Privateers of Saint-Domingue and Louis XIV's Designs on Spanish America, 1683-1685, qui — grâce à lui — est paru dans le volume 39 de la revue Terrae Incognitae. C'était un grand Homme, d'une extrême générosité.

Je reproduis ici, intégralement, sa notice nécrologique telle qu'elle apparaît sur le site du Wise Funeral Home, de Bonham, au Texas :   

Funeral services for Robert Samuel “Bob” Weddle, 94, of Bonham, will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015 at First United Methodist Church under the direction of Wise Funeral Home. Rev. Dyan Dietz will officiate. Burial will follow in Carson Cemetery, Ector, Texas. Bob passed away early Friday morning, Oct. 16, 2015 at Texoma Medical Center in Denison, Texas.

Bob was born June 5, 1921 in Fannin County, Texas, the son of Charles Leonard Weddle Sr. and Montee Irene Nelms Weddle. He attended Duncan School and Bailey Inglish and graduated from Bonham High School. After attending Texas Tech University, he entered the US Navy during WWII and was sent to Officers Training School in Pittsburgh, Kansas. It was there he met his future wife, Avis Williamson, and the couple married on Oct. 27, 1943 in Fort Leonardwood, Missouri while in route to Norfolk Virginia. After the war ended, Bob finished his degree in journalism at Texas Tech University. The couple then moved to Dallas and Bob went to work for United Press. Following that the family moved to Texas A&M University in College Station, where he worked for the Information Dept. This was followed by several years as City Editor for the Sherman Democrat. While there, friends they had known from college and the Navy found a newspaper for the Weddles to buy – The Menard News, a weekly paper. They moved to Menard and in the 11 years they were there, as publisher of the newspaper, Bob wrote a weekly column, sold ads, did the layouts, wrote stories and watched the paper being printed on their press. It was here that he began research on an interesting story which became his first book, “San Saba Mission: Spanish Pivot in Texas”, published in 1964 and printed by the University of Texas Press. He received the Award of Merit from the American Association for State and local history. Bob was the author of thirteen books and in 1996 his book, “Changing Tides: Twilight and Dawn in the Spanish Sea, 1763-1803” was awarded the Coral Horton Tullis Memorial Prize given annually by the Texas Historical Assn. for the year’s best book on Texas. Before returning to Fannin County, the Weddles spent several years in Austin where Avis taught 3rd grade and Bob worked for the University of Texas Press and for the Texas Governor’s office under Governors, Preston Smith and Dolph Briscoe on the Criminal Justice Plan for Texas. After returning to Fannin County, he was a well known breeder of Black Angus cattle. He was a member of First United Methodist Church. Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Avis on Aug. 13, 2000 and later married Peggy Jean Chandler who also preceded him in death in 2008. He was also preceded in death by an infant daughter, Bonnie Kay Weddle, his parents, four brothers, Wilson Nelms Weddle, Charles Leonard Weddle, Jr., Joe Tom Weddle and Kendall Weddle who died in infancy, and three sisters, Frances Weddle Young, Lora Lee Reineman and Laurel Earline Weddle.

Bob is survived by his son, Timothy R. Weddle of Houston, Texas; daughter, Teresa Galey (Kenneth) of Slidell, Louisiana; grandchildren, Travis Robert Rainwater (April), Heather Janeen Viger (Ty), Philesa Nan Edwards, Jason Robert Weddle (Lindsay) and Jennifer Lynn Weddle Great Grandchildren, Truman Davis Rainwater, Griffin Tate Rainwater, Stella Blue Rainwater, Tynsley Rain Viger and Abigail Freelin Weddle.