PUBLISHER’S PAGE
by David Corson
Extraordinary to the end
M
y stepdad, who had just turned 90 in February, was battling cancer, and having trouble with his circulation in legs and feet. After a few falls in the house, we had to make the tough decision to put him in a rehabilitation facility. My Mother, at 82 years young, could not take care of him any longer. With my step-sister getting married on Sunday, May 1, his goal was to make it to the wedding. All of his children and grandkids came in a few days before the wedding, which was extremely special to him. But when the wedding day arrived, he was just not physically able to attend. The wedding went on that afternoon, and afterward, my Mother went back to the long-term care facility to see how he was doing, and then left to have dinner with the wedding party. While at dinner, her cellphone rang. My stepdad had to be rushed to the emergency room. By the time she arrived, he had passed. I think after seeing everyone, he was in too much pain to go on, and decided it was time to head to a better place. He had a very impressive retail and business career: Born Feb. 17, 1932, in Baltimore, Maryland, Fred Weber made a lasting impact on the Dayton community, where he lived for more than 60 years. Graduating from Ohio State University in 1954, he remained a diehard Buckeye fan his entire life. He began his career at Mayor's Jewelers, later founding Weber Jewelers. Both family businesses in Dayton, Ohio thrived under his leadership, earning him a reputation for exceptionally fine jewelry. While he was an accomplished businessman—earning the coveted "Shipley Award" from the American Gem Society— his real passion lay in serving the needs of the community and helping to shape the city
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he knew and loved. He was City Commissioner, and served on numerous boards, most notably as Chairman of the Premier Health Board (1997-2004), Chairman of the Miami Valley Hospital Board of Trustees (1988-1992) and Chairman of the Wright State University Board of Trustees. Recognizing a pressing need for geriatric care, he was instrumental in creating a new Department of Geriatrics at Boonshoft
COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION — ISSUE 4, 2022
School of Medicine at Wright State University in 2006, a visionary concept at the time. Fred's ability to succeed was apparent from an early age. He earned his Eagle Scout badge at 14 and was a veteran of the US Air Force too. Until his final days, he stayed abreast of political races throughout the country and advocated for effective leadership in government. He also made ample time for golf and skiing, excelling in both sports into his late 80s. But most of all, cherished his family & friends. Fred had a rule that 95% was negotiable, but go into that 5% sector, it was not going to happen. That's one lesson I have used in my personal, business and athletic coaching career over the years, and will continue to use it in the future. In the last few months, our family went through the fiasco of trying to find the right rehabilitation facility and then long-term care for him to be comfortable in. The rehab facility was very expensive, and with all the many years of investing in long-term care, things that were promised in writing did not come true because of word salad manipulation by healthcare admins. Also, trying to pick the correct longterm care location was not easy either, as we chose the one that had the best care supposedly, but ended up having to remove him after nine days to be relocated to another facility due to poor care. You hear the horror stories about elderly loved ones being neglected and we lived it. You just cannot judge a book by its cover when you are dealing with your loved one's healthcare. I urge all of you out there who have parents still alive to have a game plan in place. Do your research, as you don’t want anyone to experience what our family just endured. We will miss Fred Weber. May he rest in peace. I am glad he is in a better place. “Go Buckeyes!” To all, have a positive rest of Q2 2022, safe travels, good health and, as always, keep the faith.
