Deceased September 5, 2018
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In Memory
Sterling Weaver, who died in Pittsford, N.Y., on Sept. 5, was a fine student, an accomplished athlete and a constant friend. Those who knew him well had learned that his gentle nature coexisted with his relentlessly competitive athleticism and that he could ask the most pertinent, penetrating questions in his soft voice and pleasant manner.
Weave played well on the freshman soccer team, but his prowess in basketball, where he captained the freshman team (and later the varsity), made it easy to decide which sport to relinquish when course work and his job as a campus “sandwich man” demanded more of his time. However, he still managed to play intramural touch football one year—and was named the all-star receiver.
Weave majored in American studies, which fit his inquiring mind. He also explored other disciplines, graduated with honors and entered Columbia law school. After earning his law degree, he joined the Rochester law firm of Nixon, Hargrave, Devans and Doyle. Over time, he became a partner, led their tax department and chaired tax sections for county, state and American bar associations. He served his community as president of the Landmark Society of Western New York, the First Unitarian Church of Rochester and the Center for Environmental Education.
Weave lived the words he wrote about Amherst for our 50th reunion: “Using our capacity for rational thought, we were firmly convinced that some exposure to many intellectual disciplines was essential to understand the complexity of our lives and to make a meaningful contribution to furthering human progress. I hold that belief as tenaciously today as I did when we started.”
Sterling is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Jean Carty Weaver; four children (Leslie Petzing, Lisa Bejian, Loren Weaver and David Weaver) and their spouses; and seven grandchildren. Our love and condolences to them all.
Rich Gray ’53, Manse Hall ’53 and George Edmonds ’53