Carlton Davis "Buck" Weaver, 90, died Sunday, July 31, 2011, at Bishop Gadsden Retirement Community in Charleston, South Carolina.
A native of Grantsville, West Virginia, Mr. Weaver was son of the late Arley E. Weaver and Grace Davis Weaver.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy Mason McIntosh Weaver, a brother, William C. Weaver, and a sister, Mary Kathryn Weaver Busch.
Mr. Weaver graduated from Calhoun County High School, Calhoun County, W.Va., then attended The Citadel and Marshall University, until he left school in 1941 to enroll in the Naval Aviation Cadet Program. Upon completing Operational Dive Bomber Training, he was assigned to squadron VMTB 622, a carrier-based bombing squadron in Carrier Air Group VIII at MCAS, Mojave, Calif. At the end of WWII, Mr. Weaver returned to West Virginia, where he completed his degree in Petroleum Engineering at West Virginia University. Upon graduation, Mr. Weaver began his career with Ashland Oil, Inc. in Ashland , Ky., but soon after was recalled to active duty as a Marine Corps pilot to serve during the Korean War.
At the conclusion of the war, he remained in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve until 1958, retiring as a major. Buck never lost his love of flying and was an instrument-rated pilot. As a resident of Ashland, Ky., Mr. Weaver worked for Ashland Oil, Inc. for 30 years, retiring in 1981, as a senior vice-president and the founder of Ashland Coal, Inc. He was responsible for building and operating Ashland's coal interests which included Arch Mineral Corp. in St. Louis, Mo., where he was a director from its organization in 1969, until his retirement, and Ashland Coal Inc., of which he was founder and first chairman.
He was a member of the National Coal Association, served as chairman of the WVU College of Mineral and Energy Resources Visiting Committee for ten years, and was named that organization's Outstanding Alumnus. Mr. Weaver's pride in his West Virginia heritage led him to become an avid map collector. As a member of The John Marshall Society of The Marshall University Foundation, Inc., he donated The Carlton D. Weaver Transallegheny Map Collection to Marshall University in 1991, which included John Mitchell's A Map of the British and French Dominions in North America with the Roads, Distances, Limits and Extent of the Settlements (London, 1755). The Mitchell map has been cited as "the most important map in American History."
Mr. Weaver loved growing, tending, and sharing his Hybrid-Tea roses. His love of nature also inspired him to design and build special birdhouses for bluebirds. To this day, the Buck Weaver Bluebird Report is still published in Bellefonte, Ky. He was also an avid WVU and Marshall University football fan.
Mr. Weaver is survived by his daughter, Mason Weaver Scott, his sister-in-law, Cary Weaver and three nieces, Laura Weaver, Dr. Gina Busch and Pam Busch.
A memorial service for family and close friends will be scheduled in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., this fall, allowing Buck's life to be honored at one of his favorite places during his favorite time of year.
For those who might wish to send a memorial, please contact the Calhoun County Public Library, P.O. Box 918, Grantsville, WV 26147.
Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Downtown Chapel. A memorial message may be written to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com
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