Teacher, landlord, avid golfer

James Calvin Weber, a longtime Claremont resident, died on April 21, 2013. He was 70.

Mr. Weber was born on February 3, 1943 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He graduated from Indiana Central College with a bachelor’s degree and then attended Azusa Pacific University, where he received a master’s degree in special education. He started teaching in Indiana and then taught at Sierra Vista High School in Baldwin Park for 17 years, leading special education, science and physical education classes as well as coaching football and baseball.

He married his wife Muriel on August 1, 1970 in Pasadena and the couple settled in Claremont in 1975. Their son, Justin James Weber, played baseball with Claremont Little League, where Mr. Weber volunteered as a coach for many years.

The Webers loved real estate and bought rental houses and apartment buildings until, eventually, they were able to make being landlords their profession. A member of the Glendora Country Club since 1994, Mr. Weber loved golf and developed a pretty good game.

He also enjoyed traveling and visited many far-flung locations, including Europe, Mexico, Alaska, Russia and Hawaii. Mr. and Mrs. Weber also enjoyed 45 cruises over the years.

Dr. George McClellan, a Pomona chiropractor who was a golfing buddy of Mr. Weber’s, appreciated his enthusiasm and his dry sense humor. 

“He was a nice guy and a really good businessman,” Mr. Mclellan said. “He was very hardworking and very generous.”

Mr. Weber’s friend of 40 years, Dennis Cauthron, also emphasized his giving ways.

“Jim was an extremely generous person. He gave of himself personally and financially,” Mr. Cauthron said. “He was an excellent teacher loved by his students, and he helped many of them out in a personal way.”

Mr. Weber was an upbeat person who always kept the big picture in mind, his wife noted.

“He was always living for the next day,” Mrs. Weber said. “I’d bring up something that happened and he’d say, ‘That was yesterday.’ He never looked at yesterday. He only looked at tomorrow.”

Mr. Cauthron was privileged to glimpse some of his optimistic friend’s peak moments.

“He loved sports, especially golf, and his happiest times may have been finishing second and first in consecutive years at the Teeter Tournament at the Glendora Country Club,” he related.

Even toward the end of his life, when he was in declining health and missing the golf links, Mr. Weber was a pleasure to be around, according to Cyndi Wright, a nurse who assisted him during the last 5 months of his life.

“I loved him. He had the best sense of humor,” Ms. Wright said. “He always had some kind of sarcastic answer to everything. It made things interesting.”

At the start of her nursing career, she counts working with Mr. Weber as a rewarding experience and an important turning point.

 “He really made me realize that this is exactly the right career path for me,” she said.

Mr. Cauthron said not a day will pass that Mr. Weber is not missed by family and friends.

“As a personal friend, I am comforted to know he is with the Lord,” Mr. Cauthron shared.

Mr. Weber is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Muriel Weber; by his son, Justin James Weber; and by 2 brothers, Stephen Weber of Chicago and Phil Weber of Pasadena.

A memorial service for Mr. Weber will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 27 at the First Baptist Church of Claremont, 472 N. Mountain Ave. All who knew and loved him are welcome. For information, call 624-4496.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the City of Hope in Duarte, 1500 E. Duarte Rd., Duarte CA 91010, or to the Salvation Army.