Joseph (Jay) Weber, 95, of Buckley, passed peacefully away in his sleep at home on March 29. 2023.

He was born Aug. 2, 1927, on his family's farm near Hannah, to Jacob & Anna (Zenner) Weber. Jay enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1945 and served in the Signal Corp as a sergeant T4 in WWII. His service was on Guam, Saipan, and Iwo Jima. He was then sent back to Hawaii to convalesce before his discharge in the Spring of 1948.

On Oct. 23, 1948, he married Donna M. Nickerson at St. Mary Catholic Church of Hannah, where they were lifelong members as helpmates for 72 years. A year and one half after their marriage, they moved to their farm south of Monroe Center.

Jay farmed and worked at Parson's Corporation aircraft plant until it moved to California. He then worked as an electrician for Dingman's Sign Co., wiring highway signs until he retired.  Along with two jobs, Jay made time to serve on the Buckley School Board, Grand Traverse Conservation District BOD, and the Grand Traverse A.S.C.S. committee.

He was a 4-H Saddle Club leader for 20 years, spending his Sundays helping youth with their horses and ponies.  This also included taking his vacation time to spend a week at the Northwest Michigan Fair helping his club show their animals.  He said, "It was my efforts to keep my own kids off the roads."

In 1994 he was awarded the Outstanding Conservationist Award for soil, water, and related resource practices. Two years running Jay held the "No till Record," for corn in Grand Traverse County and in doing so won trips to Hawaii and the Bahama Islands.

Jay's joys in life were Donna, his children: Brenda (Edward) Breitmeyer, Marvin (Theresa), Randy (Shawn) Weber; his grandchildren, Aaron and Jim Breitmeyer, Eric, Jennifer, Cory, and Travis Weber, their families, and many special nieces and nephews.

Some of his other pleasures in life were watching his white face Herefords graze on green fields and then as the market changed it was Black Angus. Jay loved the land and watching crops grow.  With spring near, he was looking forward to, "Driving those tractors and baling that hay!"

He was an avid deer hunter and had wonderful times hunting with his family, butchering their own deer, and retelling the stalking stories, all the while enjoying Donna's filled cookies, "Deer Hunting Cookies."

His other sport was baseball, and in younger years he loved picking runners off as he played first base.  No matter how the Tigers season was going, he was a loyal fan.

He is survived by Sister Mary Acquinas Weber and brother Raymond Weber; sisters-in-law, Thelma, Barbara, and Mary Ellen Weber, Linda (Ross) Williams, Juanita Pierce, and brother-in-law, Duane Biegler.

He was preceded in death by his beloved Donna, parents, brothers and sisters-in-law: Vincent (Lucille), Ambrose (Ruth), Clarence, Daniel (Dorothy), Paul, Carl (Patricia), Bernadine, Joseph "Jack" Weber, sister Marguerite (Richard) Wagner; brothers-in-law Amos and Andy Nickerson; and sisters-in-law Dorothy Biegler and Shirley Nickerson.

Mass from the Order of Christian Funerals will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Saturday, April 15, 2023, at St. Mary of Hannah Catholic Church, in Kingsley, with the Reverend Gerald Okoli celebrant.  The family will receive friends from 9:00 AM until time of Mass at the church.  A luncheon will be served at St. Mary of Hannah Catholic School, and interment will follow in Monroe Center Cemetery.

Memorials may be given to St. Mary of Hannah Catholic Church or to Parkinson's Network North, P.O. Box 5734, Traverse City, Michigan  49696.

Memories may be shared with the family at www.beaconfh.com/obituary/joseph-jay-weber

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, Covell-Kingsley Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.