Dr. Barrett H. Weber

Dr Barrett H. Weber, respected San Francisco surgeon, outdoorsman, dedicated family man, and poster child of the "Greatest Generation" passed away and moved on to the Heavens, surrounded by family at the age of 90.

He was born in St Louis Missouri to Florence Groschen and Lawrence Barrett Weber, the Ford Dealer of St Louis. He was a product of the depression, influenced by its hard lessons. When his parents separated, his mother moved his sister and him to California at a very early age. The Jesuits of Saint Ignatius in San Francisco and the Boy Scout's Troop 14 reshaped his rough draft into a lean (San Francisco city swim champion), motivated, focused, pious, and proud humanist. He was not above a little foolery as when he convinced his mostly Italian working class SI schoolmates that he was a descendant of the Italian Weber clan. He did this to win votes on his way to becoming class vice president of his '42 SI senior class. His real heritage is Czech and Irish.

He wanted to fight in WWII with his friends, but when they saw he had an interest in and aptitude for medicine, the government directed him to complete his medical training (Stanford undergrad and medical degrees, '45 & '49) to fill the need for doctors near the front line. Though that war ended, he finished in time to serve in a M.A.S.H. unit in the Korean War. He earned a Bronze star for bravery. Though he soured on the overwhelming loss of young lives, his undying patriotism and love of country were only strengthened by those experiences and he directed his focus toward service for the sick.

He finished his surgical and subspecialty surgical oncology training at Washington University's Barnes Hospital and Columbia Hospital in Missouri—top programs of their time. Somewhere in that St Louis part of the journey he bumped into the amazing Elise Broun. She refused his request for a kiss on the first date but agreed to marry him after the third date. She was definitely his better half, some would argue his better ¾'ths. He moved West again with her and settled into a great life in San Francisco. The times in SF were tumultuous, but they stuck to their conservative family ideals and raised 4 boys.

Barrett completed a successful career in Surgery at California Pacific Medical Center and retired before his time was up. He was appointed Chief of Surgery. His life and character were also in part shaped by his love of the ocean, bodysurfing, fishing and hunting. He was poor when young (he didn't have a bedroom until he went to college), comfortable when old, and never one to waste. He was strongly opinionated, resilient, fiercely intelligent, self confident, seldom wrong, blindly Republican, and loved a good joke. His greatest loves in his last years were his wife, Elise, his family, his amazing friends, his cigarettes, and his cocktail at the end of the day. We will miss his lectures and his larger than life persona. We will honor him by trying to follow his parental role model and we will raise a glass in his memory for a long time to come.

Barrett Weber was preceded in death by his wonderful wife of 55 years, Elise Broun Weber and is survived by his sister Jane Smith, sons Barrett (Connie, their children William and Bryan), Peter (Karen, their children Megan and Jack), David, and Robert (Nancy, their children Natalie, Robert and Charlie). Barrett was especially grateful for his daughters in law Karen and Nancy for their care and nurturing during his late life—he would not have lived so long nor so happy without their help.

A funeral mass is scheduled at St Ignatius Church in San Francisco on October 17, Friday at 2 PM. He will be interred in a private ceremony at St Mary's church in Bolinas. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Saint Ignatius High School's "Barrett and Elise Weber Family scholarship in memory of Florence Weber." (SI College Preparatory, Development Fund, 2001 37th Ave, SF, CA 94116)