Weber History

Submitted By: Maddie Reno

On Paul’s cemetery marker, there is only one word. It says “Beloved.” Paul was deeply beloved by me and Ben. He was beloved by so many people. Next to his marker is a little seat on which are inscribed words that were very important to him, so important that, as you know, he put them on the bottom of all of his emails. 

“The choices that you make come back to you in your character, magnified, and in what you draw out of others because of what you have become.” 

Paul loved a good time. He loved to laugh and dance and party and share about politics. He also wanted to know about You, whomever you were. Paul lent dignity to everyone he met and he never spoke of others with scorn, no matter their beliefs. 

Everyone who knew him knew that he was brilliant He would say that he wasn’t all that bright, but he had Seitzfleish (spelling uncertain), a German word which he explained to me, meant the strength of character to sit on your bottom and complete your work. Very simple. Not easy.

After Paul died, the memories people shared about him were memories about his warmth, love and laughter, and his broad understanding of politics. Very often people still say to me that they would love to know Paul’s reflections about the current political situation. Only the academics, after talking about what a great guy he was, would say as an afterthought, that he wrote six books and was chair of the political department and of the McConnel Center for nine years. And, of course, in all sports, Paul played to win.

Well, I could continue on, but I suspect this Newsletter doesn’t have 100 pages for my reflections. I’ll close by saying that it was the privilege and joy of my life to be in a deep love relationship with Paul Weber. 

(Also, I have a couple of copies that I would be happy to share if someone in the family doesn’t have one of the books about him that I compiled a few years ago).

Submitted by: Chuck Weber, with contributions from: Mark, Kathleen & Jim 

From Chuck about Dad: “I don’t want to live long enough to see my kids squander what I worked so hard to save.”

“The sky’s the limit. You can make as much as you want. $2 an hour and unlimited hours.”

“You’ll never starve if you can dig ditches.” Dad lived through the depression and said that was a time when no one had cash, you had to trade something you had for something you wanted. They had eggs from the farm, for instance, and could barter for something else. He pointed out you could trade labor for food, and he tried to make sure we knew how to work(to our annoyance).

“I don’t want to see you boys sitting around if your Mom is moving.”

We were sitting around the table on a Sunday night having dinner when the phone rang, and a customer let Dad know he was in the ditch or his car wouldn’t run or something, I don’t recall. Dad said, “Come on, boys”. We went down to the garage to get the tow truck and helped the man out. I was asking Dad why he didn’t just take care of it Monday morning. Dad said something like, “this isn’t a problem, it’s an opportunity. The guy will tell his whole family and all the neighbors what I did for him and they’ll all be customers for life.” I was pretty young and don’t recall all the details, but Dad’s attitude sure made an impression on me and was really useful in building my own business years later.

Jerry Arnsdorf, a longtime employee and friend of Dad, told me, “Your Dad may be wrong, but he’s still Boss.”

From Mark on Dad:  Money doesn’t grow on trees!

You can only spend the principle once.

Any job worth doing is worth doing well.

There is dignity in every job.

Do others of the siblings have additions to my memory?  Please add.  Another column of sayings from Mom or Memories of Mom would be fun, too.  All right, I’ll start it.

Mom subscribed to The Reader's Digest, and there was a section of lesser-used words.

Mom would give us a word, describe what it meant, and tell us she wanted us to use it in a sentence when we got home from school. This sure helped my vocabulary on the Iowa Basic Skills Test.  

"If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all." One of Mom's sayings encouraged us to quit complaining and just zip it if we didn't have anything constructive to contribute.

When I was in medical school, Mom must have sent me at least a half dozen articles she found about doctor addicts.  She would say, "There are things in life that feel too good to be good for you." Words of wisdom I have often repeated, and I never became an addict.

"Don't ever name your daughters Iven." Mom talked of how she suffered from her name. Teachers or a meeting moderator would call out the name Iven, Mom would answer, and they would say, "No, Ivan, a boy." Most people didn't know Iven was the feminine form of Ivan, another name for John; at least, Mom told us. Wikipedia says Iven is a male name.  How could Mom's mother have done that to her? Wait, Mom's sister's names include Dell Rose and Dula. I expect they suffered, too. Kathleen says she asked Mom why her own mother gave her that name, and Mom said her mother said, "because I liked it."

“Can’t you boys just get along?”  There were four boys under the age of ten in our parent’s second family.  Mom had four kids, Nancy, Paul, Phil, and Kathleen, in 4 or 5 years. Then, 6 or 8 years went by without kids, and there were four more in 4 or 5 years. This was a saying from frustration, probably when Mark & I were bickering about something.  Dad, when asked, said they “moved into a new house and Mom had to fill it up.”

“Don’t put your dirty laundry out!”  Mom meant not to share embarrassing or private family matters in public. They should be kept confidential. Even better is not to do things you’d be ashamed of.

This is a good one:  Mom had many daughters-in-law with six sons. I asked how she got along so well with them when so many people complained about her mother-in-law, and one of her (Maddie) referred to her as “Saint Iven.”  Mom told me she tried to be helpful and never gave advice unless asked.  

From Kathleen:

“Just do your best, honey,” was something Mom said; that one didn’t have to be perfect.

When a religious nun told Kathleen you had to be Catholic to go to heaven, I was distressed about Uncle George and Aunt Glenna.  Mom told her she didn’t believe absolutely everything Sister said.

When Kathleen first got her monthly period, Mom told her the Virgin Mary had periods, too.

From Mark:

If you can read, you can experience the world.

This too shall pass.

Good manners are a sign of respect.

A good one from JP:  “Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.”

Submitted By: Chuck Weber

I got my pilot’s license in high school, paying for lessons through about ten hours of instruction from money earned washing cars($2/hour with income limited only by the hours I was willing to work was my Dad’s comment). Thankfully, I got a scholarship to finish the training from Civil Air Patrol and spent a month one summer at Reno-Stead Air Force Base near Reno, Nevada, flying daily. I’m not sure exactly when Grandpa Ben went for his ride, but it was likely within a year of getting the license, and he was probably in his 80s. We flew out over his farm near New Vienna, his house in Dyersville, and his son Elmer’s farm, then out to White Pine Hollow, where he told me he used to take a wagon and a team of horses to collect small trees for fence posts. The trip was uneventful on a nice day. What was memorable for me was Ben smiling when we were on the ground, reflecting on all the things he had seen in his life. He spoke of farming with mules and horses and seeing tractors and cars. He talked about telegraphs, trains, telephones, and televisions. Then he said just think of all I’ve seen, and he was wondering what changes I would see in my lifetime. He wished he could be there to see them with me. He was a curious man who liked some adventure. I think Mark or I are taking him for a snowmobile ride one Christmas. He was dressed in a suit and dress shoes, and Dad found him a coverall and some boots. We went off to the backyard and around the Dubuque Golf and Country Club. He loved it!

As I’m writing, I’m thinking about how much Dad trusted us and how much responsibility he gave us. He told me once to take that truck to the Dubuque Packing House. It was a big tractor without the trailer and had about six forward speeds. I hopped in and started driving. The roads were wet from a recent rain, and I was going too fast through a turn at an intersection. The truck did a 360-degree “doughnut” as the light rear wheels broke traction. Thank God I didn’t hit anything, but my heart was sure pounding.

Another story is that my sister Kathleen had a surprise breach (butt first instead of head first) delivery of her son Jay. Hix skull was fractured in the delivery, and they wanted him rushed to University Hospital in Iowa City. Jay was in an incubator, and Dr. Conklin, a Pediatrician who had been a WWII fighter pilot, got into my rental plane with me, and we flew to Iowa City. Now I’m wondering what everyone was thinking, considering how little experience I had. I was young and fearless back then. Now, I have a better sense of all the things that could go wrong. Jay turned out pretty good, though.

Submitted by: Amy Kluesner

Nancy Weber was born on December 3, 1936, in Monticello, IA. She was the firstborn of Les & Iven (Willenborg) Weber. Nancy graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic school in Cascade, Iowa, and was soon employed in the big city of Dubuque, Iowa. Nancy enjoyed living in an apartment in downtown Dubuque. Pizza was one of the new foods she found and introduced to her family.

John Noonan was born on January 5, 1930, in Bernard, IA. He was the fifth-born child of Mike & Marjorie (O’Brien) Noonan. During his younger years, he was nicknamed Ozzie, and it stuck! He graduated from St. Martin’s Catholic Church in Cascade, Iowa. After high school, he served 4 years in the Air Force during the Korean War. His first civilian job was with the Iowa State Highway Commission.

Nancy & Oz married on November 7, 1959, at St. Mary’s Church in Cascade. Their parents and the community struggled with the idea of the two marrying as it was considered a “mixed marriage”, being one was from the local Irish Catholic Church and the other from the local German Catholic Church. Times sure have changed!!

Nancy & Oz had 5 children: Amy (10/2/60), Vickie (09/7/61), Chris (04/05/63), Roger (04/24/64) and Laura (05/18/68). Amy arrived less than 11 months after their marriage, so Nancy quickly became a stay-at-home mom. Oz continued to work for the Iowa State Highway Commission until Chris was born. At that time, they decided it would be best for Oz to make a career change so he could be home in the evenings to spend time with the family. He decided to farm his parents’ farm in Bernard, Iowa. He did this for a few years until it became apparent his parents were not going to sell the farm to him. Oz and Nancy purchased their own farm in Bernard in 1970.

What an exciting time it was for all of us! We moved to a farm!!! We all have great memories of lots of hard work, home-cooked family meals, long bus rides to/from school, horseback riding, lovable dogs, mean dogs, baling hay, feeding/teasing the chickens, Uncle Paul bringing Chinese friends to see cows and they were almost trampled by mother cow as they were taking pictures of the baby calf, grinding feed and feeding cows & pigs, growing a big garden, Uncle Paul staying with the younger 4 children while Oz and Nancy joined the Amy and the Western Dubuque Band trip to the Macy’s day parade, getting lost in corn field while helping chase cows out of the field, building forts in the barn with itchy hay, riding on the tailgate of the pickup truck at 40 mph, adopting Uncle Jim’s dogs, sleigh riding with cousins, Uncle Jim’s dogs and our dog running away, wearing Uncle Russ’ hand-me-down jeans and learning to sew many of our own clothes. A special treat was when Dad would load all the kids (his own, neighbors, and/or cousins) into the back of the truck on a Sunday afternoon and travel 25 minutes to Bluff Lake catfish farm to catch and clean catfish, bullheads, and bluegills. Mom was then tasked with cooking the fish and feeding a bunch of hungry kids and a tired husband!

Times got tough financially on the farm, so Nancy went to work at National Car Rental at the Dubuque airport in 1975. She loved her job! One of the favorite parts of the job was she got to greet all those arriving in Dubuque. Oz went to work at Theisen’s farm store in the farm department where everyone loved him! It was the perfect job match for Oz as he was knowledgeable of all the farmer’s needs. (A ninety-some-year-old, very frail woman found her way to Dad’s wake to tell us how much she appreciated Ozzie over the years. He helped her pick out the best bird seed every

year at Theisen’s!) When National Car Rental closed, Nancy went to work at Loras College as a house cleaner and retired as the Manager of the Post Office. They continued to work on the farm while working in town until it became financially wise to rent the land and buildings.

Nancy loved to cook & sew. Can you believe Nancy made the suit she wore to Amy’s wedding? She also made the one she wore for Vickie’s wedding. She also made many of the bridesmaid dresses for Vickie’s wedding! She was a talented lady! Nancy also loved to have friends to her house for lunch and/or go out to lunch with friends. Once the grandkids came along, she enjoyed watching their sporting events. She was their #1 fan on and off the field/court!

Oz loved to organize softball games, whether it was with just his children, neighbors, or cousins at the annual Weber reunion; it was also a good time. Oz was also a Chicago Cubs fan. He enjoyed listening to their games on the radio and occasionally watching them on TV when they aired on one of the 3 black & white TV stations we received. Bowling was also a favorite of dads. He enjoyed that weekly night out with the guys. He also enjoyed going to an occasional airshow. Grampa Oz was a favorite of the grandchildren, and he was also their #1 fan. He was known to tease them and always had a piece of Big Red gum in his pocket for them.

Nancy & Oz enjoyed playing cards with friends and family. Learning Euchre at a young age was one of those essential life skills we learned as children, maybe because we were residents of Dubuque County! We played lots of Euchre and “Shit on Your Neighbor” over the years. They also enjoyed going out to eat at local Supper Clubs with friends and an occasional snowmobile ride. Truck rides to check on the cows were also a highlight of theirs. In hindsight, we are sure it was an opportunity to escape from the chaos of 5 children!

In the early 1990’s Oz and Nancy decided to sell the farm and move to Dubuque. This was a bittersweet time for everyone. It was hard for them to leave the farm, but they knew it was the best thing to do financially. Oz continued to work at Theisen’s until his death in 1999. Nancy continued to work at Loras College until she retired in 2010.

Oz died October 7,1999 at Mercy Hospital from a drug-reaction.

Nancy died on March 14,2015, at the University of Iowa Hospital from complications of a stroke.

We miss them both dearly. Life was simple for them, but they sure knew how to love unconditionally!

Ben and Me: Mobility   

Article 3

Submitted By: Jim Weber

My Grandpa Ben was born in 1885. I got to know him @1970. One of our conversations was about “mobility”. He spent most of his life knowing only horses and buggies as his mode of transportation. Knowing my grandpa's penchant for mules, it was most likely mules and buggies. I will try to relate several stories he told me that relate to transportation or mobility.

One of the first stories was about a young Molly and Ben as newlyweds. Like all young couples, they wanted to become independent. I’m guessing this would have been around 1905-1910. They would have been in their early 20’s. In those days, everyone lived on a farm, and they wanted a farm of their own. First of all, there were few telephones available, so finding a farm for sale was mostly word of mouth. Then, when they finally found one for sale, they could only look in a radius of where they could ride a horse or mule to and from in a day's time. This meant a radius of about 10 miles.

Another story was about moving from Minnesota to Iowa. Today, this is a 4-5 hour car ride, but this was a big move in those days. They took what I believe was called an “Immigrant Train”. They put all their belongings, tools, furniture, animals, etc. onto the train. The train then took it to the nearest train depot near where they were moving to and parked it. I don’t recall if they went on the train with their belongings or if they rode their horse or mule to the destination. Someone would have had to feed and water the animals on the railcar. Worthington, MN, to Dyersville, IA, is a 285-mile trip. This would have been a week or two journey by horse. Once the railcar arrived at the destination, they had a week to unload.

Another story I recall was a shopping trip to Dubuque from Dyersville. This is

 a 25-mile trip, 30 minutes by car today. In Ben’s day, this was a major event, and they only did it once a year. This was a two-day adventure. They would ride their mule and wagon to an uncle's house halfway to Dubuque and spend the night. The next day they would continue on to Dubuque to the Levi Mitchel store. He would park his wagon behind the store. Mr. Mitchel would walk him through the store where he would pick out shoes and overalls for everyone in the family. The ladies sometimes got a bolt of material. If the clothes didn’t fit perfectly, they would grow into them. The bolt of material was used for curtains, tablecloths, and dresses. Mr. Mitchel would then have all the items loaded into the wagon as they settled up the bill. Then the two day trip back to Dyersville. 

Grandpa’s first automobile I’m not sure of the dates, but I think it would have been the late ’30s or early ’40s. He would have been around 50 by then.  I remember him telling me that the first time he saw an automobile was when someone brought one out to the farm. They had to open the gate so the car could get into the field and drive around to show Grandpa how it worked. He told me his first auto didn’t get around as well as the horses in the winter, so they parked the car in the barn and brought the battery into the house to keep it from freezing. This has nothing to do with transportation but is worth mentioning. His first gasoline engine was on a washing machine and his young wife called him in from the field to get it started.

There were several more automobiles in his life, but a significant one came after my dad got the Toyota business in Dubuque. I think Grandpa Ben got one of the first Toyotas in Iowa. He paid around $1700 for it. They weren’t very popular (Japanese Junk) when they first came out, but Ben was pretty proud of it. It was a small car, and Ben was getting pretty old by then. He lived in a small town, and people watched out for him when he drove down the street. 

Later in life my brother Chuck took Ben up in an airplane. He was really thrilled. They flew out to Dyersville and New Vienna where his farm once was. Chuck told me he would write more about this sometime, so I left the details up to him. Ben was always interested in new ideas and new technology. I once asked him when he was young if he had ever dreamed of airplanes or automobiles, and he told me no, it never crossed his mind. 

The last thing I can remember was a Christmas celebration on Fremont Street. Ben was all dressed up in a suit and tie, and he saw one of the kids, I think it might have been Chuck, going by on the snowmobile. I want to go on that he said. So he put on his hat and trench coat, and we took him out the back for a ride on the snowmobile. I’ll always remember that scene with Grandpa on the back with one hand on his hat and one holding his coat, whisking off in the snowy backyard on a snowmobile.  I’m sure he was in his 90’s at the time. 

Grandpa Ben always said he had lived through the most remarkable time in history. He was also curious about what we might see in our time. As I am approaching my sunset years, I, too, think I have lived through a remarkable time in history.

In writing these stories down, I have learned the value of an oral history. There is a great deal of wisdom among our elders. A wise young person might learn a great deal by talking to them.

The Origins and Legacy of the Weber Family Reunions

Submitted by: Jay Weber

How did the Weber Family Reunions come to be?

How do they keep going?

Les & Iven Weber believed family was more important than anything in the world. This is a value they passed on to their children and their grandchildren.

Starting back in 1969, Les & Iven would open up their home on 200 Fremont Avenue in Dubuque, Iowa, for one weekend each summer closest to their anniversary to ALL their extended family. Children, first cousins, second cousins, aunts & uncles, near and far would descend on Les & Iven’s house for softball games in the backfield, food, fun, and time to reconnect with family. They had a huge grill, games set up, and metal troughs full of ice, beer, and sodas (and an occasional child)…. Family would come from all around Dubuque, Cascade, Dyersville, and farther to partake in the Weber family reunion. It felt as though everyone was welcome and this was not an event to be missed.

Les and Iven continued this tradition up until they sold 200 Freemont in 2000. They kept opening their home every summer, even when they were 85 years old. The great 8 (Nancy, Paul, Phil, Kathleen, Chuck, Mark, Jim, and Russ) grew up with this as a part of their lives every summer and carried on the tradition even after Les & Iven sold 200 Fremont, hosting the family reunions in their homes each summer. Tom Weber (and wife Arlette), a deceased first cousin of the Great 8, also hosted the reunion- in Chicago and most recently in California. It was a great way to stay connected to one another and keep their children connected as some of the family started moving far away from Dubuque.

Family matters to this family!

Les & Iven passed away on Dec 3, 2008, and August 27, 2012, respectively, and the seven remaining siblings (Paul had passed away in 2005) were determined to honor their parents' legacy. Everyone enjoyed the reunions and keeping the extended family connected despite the miles that started to separate them.

So they unanimously agreed to take a portion of their inheritance from Les & Iven and form the Weber Family Legacy Trust. This trust was created with one goal: to fund these beloved family reunions into the future. The trust distributes a set amount each year to help offset the cost of the reunion with the host family contributing any balance.

This trust is designated to stay in the family and is managed by three Trustees: Mark Weber, Jay Weber, and Jeff Weber. Should anything happen to one of them, their role would be passed on to another relative in the Les & Iven lineage to keep the trust intact. The trust is invested in a mix of stocks and bonds to ensure it generates enough cash to keep the reunions going and growing every year. In the event the family decides to no longer host reunions, any trust balance will be distributed to the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque.

Since that time, family reunions have continued uninterrupted for 55 years and keep growing! They alternate between the cities chosen by the family hosting the reunion and are based on the order of the Great 8 and their age: Nancy, Paul, Phil, Kathleen, Chuck, Mark, Jim, and Russ.

This has now been passed down to the next generation with the reunions being hosted by the children of the Great 8 and seems to be moving around the country quite a bit more. Reunions have since been hosted in Washington DC, Kentucky, Colorado, New Hampshire, and California and continue to rotate through Iowa. The host family gets reimbursed for their expenses, though they usually pitch in a bit extra because, well, that’s just how we Webers roll.

We all have a great time and enjoy carrying on this rare family tradition. As we age, our families grow, and we interact with more people, it becomes clear how special our family and our connections are. We owe it all to Grandma and Grandpa Weber and their unwavering belief in the importance of family. Their legacy is our bond, our laughter, and our cherished reunions that will keep bringing us together for generations to come.

Submitted By: Jim Weber

Whenever I visited Ben at Stonehill, I liked to take him outside just to get him out of the institution and let him feel the warm sun or a spring breeze. This was a task in itself. 

Ben was always cold and generally wore a flannel shirt even though it was nearly 80 degrees in his room. I would have to get him on his feet, get his sweater on, shuffle down to the elevator, and shuffle out the front door. The benches in the sunshine were highly sought after so sometimes we had to walk a little farther to find one we liked, or sometimes I would take him to a park for a picnic lunch. He always loved an outing.

I liked to ask about his childhood. Like everyone at the time, they lived on a farm where everyone was expected to contribute, even as a young child. His father was a stern man, and his mother a little more approachable. Once on the farm, there was a cat that had just had babies, and Ben wanted to bring them in from the cold to keep them from freezing to death. His father said absolutely not, as animals belong outside, but his mother was a little more empathetic to his plight. They had just built a new barn, and his dad was proud of building a tight barn to keep the animals out. Ben and his mother were concerned about the safety of the cats, so they waited until his dad was out in the field, and he and his mom went to a well-hidden corner in the back of the barn and cut a small hole in one of the boards just big enough for the mother cat to enter. They made a little nest inside the barn out of hay for the kittens near the hole and showed the mother cat the entrance. The kittens all survived and Ben and his mom never mentioned their indiscretion again. Hear it in his own words.

Another story Ben told me about his relationship with animals was that with mules. Ben was very proud of his mules. I don’t know exactly where or how he learned this, but he had a special technique that he used for training them. Many farmers at the time just beat their animals into submission by kicking or whipping them, so the animals learned out of fear. His method was to get the animals to do what you needed out of kindness and encouragement. He told me the name of the technique one time, but I could never remember it. His mules were all trained by voice commands. This came in handy when you were walking behind them with both the reins and the plow in hand. He told me of the time he got off the wagon to close a gate after they passed through. In the process, the gate made a loud noise and spooked the team of mules that took off running down the road. They didn’t stop for nearly a mile when the wagon got hung up on something. He had to walk the mile to catch up to them and chose not to beat them as some men might but instead talked to them in a calm voice, telling them this is a fine mess you got yourselves into this time, and had to back them up and go forward a few times until they could free the wagon. Hear it in his own words.

They almost always worked with a team of two mules. When he needed to train a new young mule they would team it up with an older experienced mule until they learned the ropes, so to speak.  

White Pine Hollow is now a state forest just north and west of Luxemburg, Iowa. I believe Ben and Molly lived near New Vienna, IA, at the time. Every few years, he would take a team of mules to White Pine Hollow to cut fence posts. Remember, this was the early 1900s, maybe 1915 when Iven was born. They would rise early, taking several hours to make the 7-8 mile journey pulling the wagon. Once there, they would spend the day cutting pine trees that were 5-6 inches in diameter and 8 feet long. They would fill the wagon, which was a considerable load for the team of 2 mules. As they were leaving the forest, there was a long, gradual climb out of the bottomlands to the road. Grandpa told me that the mules would remember from year to year exactly where they would get a rest on the hill, stop, and not move until they got it. He would block the wheels to keep the wagon from rolling back and to relieve the pressure on the mules. He would give them water and the needed rest, and then they would take him the remainder of the way up the hill and onto the road without complaint. He made a point to tell me a lesser man would have whipped the animals into submission, but he found that listening to the needs of the animals and treating them kindly always resulted in better results. Once on the road, they would head back several hours and get home by sunset, where he would disconnect the team feed and water and brush the animals, ready for the next day's work.

How did the dealership start?

After selling cars part-time for two years for a Ford dealer in Dyersville, Iowa, while grinding feed for farmers, Les Weber purchased his own Ford dealership in 1935 at the age of 22. The dealership was in Cascade, Iowa (population 1200). Les would continue to own and run the Ford dealership (Weber Motor Sales) in Cascade until the mid-70s when he sold it to a long-time employee, Herb Green.

When did the dealership in Dubuque, Iowa begin?

In 1948 Les purchased the Lincoln & Mercury dealership in Dubuque. He hired his older brother, George Weber, to manage it on a day-to-day basis. George eventually left the automobile business to manage a marina on Dubuque’s riverfront. Still living in Cascade, Les commuted the 30 miles to Dubuque several times per week to manage the dealership until 1962, when he ended the commuting and moved his family to Dubuque.

When did the dealership begin selling Toyotas?

In 1967, Les purchased the first Toyota dealership in the State of Iowa. While the dealership continues to sell the Lincoln line, Toyota is the main brand. Anderson-Weber, Inc. is the longest-continuous Toyota dealership in Iowa.

What family members were in the business in the earlier years?

Phil began working for Weber Motor Sales in Cascade in 1961 at the age of 20. He later purchased the dealership from his father in 1988, and in 2000 began transferring his ownership to his sons, Tim and Jeff.

Russ joined the business in 1977 at the age of 19 as a sales representative and became a shareholder in 1994. Russ worked in sales for 44 years until his retirement in 2021.

Who is the “Anderson” in Anderson-Weber, Inc?

Bob Anderson was hired out of college in the 1950’s as a salesman in the Dubuque dealership. When George Weber left the dealership, Bob was given a small ownership interest and accepted some management responsibilities. Bob was a well-liked salesman and retired around the year 2000.

Before there was social media, businesses advertised in the “Yellow Pages” of the local newspaper. Businesses were listed in alphabetical order. By adding “Anderson” to the business’s name, the dealership was listed at the top of all dealerships under the “Automotive” category. While there has been no Anderson employed in the business for decades, the brand continues to this day.

Has Anderson-Weber Inc always been at the same location?

For many years the dealership was located near downtown Dubuque (245 Railroad Avenue). Under Phil’s leadership, in 1997, a new building was built on the growing west side of Dubuque (3450 Center Grove Drive) where it has been for over 25 years. Two major additions and a significant interior remodel were completed in 2008 and 2018.

Is Dubuque the dealership’s only location?

A second Toyota dealership was purchased in Muscatine, Iowa in 2005. While it operates under the name “Toyota of Muscatine,” it is owned and managed by Weber Auto, Inc. owned by Tim and Jeff Weber.

When did Tim and Jeff begin working at Anderson-Weber, Inc?

Tim and Jeff both began their careers at Anderson-Weber, Inc. in 2000. Tim moved back to Dubuque from Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked as a claims adjuster for a major automobile insurance company. Jeff moved back from Des Moines, Iowa, where he had been practicing law.

Over the 75 years history of being an automobile dealer, how have the Weber’s been involved in industry leadership positions?

The Weber family is the first family in the State of Iowa to have three generations serve as president of the Iowa Automobile Dealers Association: Les in 1971, Phil in 2007, and Jeff in 2015. Phil served for a number of years on the Toyota National Dealer Advisory Council. Jeff currently serves on the same Advisory Council. In addition, Jeff is an active member of the board of directors of the National Automobile Dealers Association.

What family members are currently employed by Anderson-Weber, Inc?

The dealership continues to be owned and managed by Tim and Jeff. However, Tim’s sons: Shane and Devon; and Jeff’s sons: Taylor and Alec; are playing increasingly important leadership roles on the team. The business has flourished under each successive generation. Both dealerships operated by the Weber family are muti-year recipients of the coveted Toyota President’s Award recognizing continued growth and exemplary customer service. The family tradition continues, and the future looks bright!

Can I expect to receive a “family discount” if I buy a car from Anderson-Weber, Inc?

The dealership has provided hundreds of cars to Weber family members over the years at favorable pricing. It is a testament to the treatment they received that several families are three-generation customers!

Submitted By: Jay Weber

For those of you that did not know Tom and Arlette Weber well, this is a brief background and some memories of Tom Weber.

Tom Weber was born on February 2, 1939, to Eileen and Ray Weber in Chicago, IL. Ray was the older brother of Les Weber (one of 8 children of Catherine and Charlie Weber). Like many of us, Tom and the Great Eight grew up as close cousins. While Tom was not part of the original Great Eight, he was always treated as part of the family and ‘another brother’ to the family, something Iven always wanted.

Tom was an only child, an experience unknown to any of the Great Eight. Tom loved to visit the chaotic Weber home in Cascade in the summertime. It was a novelty for any of the Great Eight when they visited Tom in Barrington, IL, where things were relatively quiet compared to Cascade, Iowa.

Tom graduated from Lawrence University with a degree in Political Science around 1961.

After graduating, Tom served in the US Air Force in St. Paul, MN, for three years, finishing in 1964.

Tom met his wife Arlette in March 1968 in Chicago. They married on December 21 of that same year. When Tom saw what he wanted, he went and got it. Tom and Arlette lived in Barrington, IL, a suburb of Chicago.

Tom started his business career in marketing and advertising for four years. He bought his first McDonald's franchise in December 1968, just before the wedding. Tom ended up as a McDonald’s franchise owner with over 13 stores before he sold the business in 1998 to retire.

Tom and Arlette have two children, Clark (53) and Paula (51). Clark is married to Celese; they have two children named Ryder (14) and Levi (11), who live in Mill Valley, CA, near the Golden Gate Bridge. Paula is married to Olivier, and they have one daughter named Sabine (15).

Tom lived with Parkinson’s disease for 16 years until he passed in 2020 at age 81.

Tom used to visit and stay in close contact with the Great Eight over the years. Kathleen states, “Tom helped me with my education in a way the nuns could not…. You can ask me personally if you are interested in any of the particulars.”

Tom was extremely fond of “The Webers” and was always considered part of the family.

Tom has been asking to host the family reunion since 2019, and Arlette finally fulfilled Tom’s lifelong wish by hosting the reunion in California in 2023.

Submitted By: Mark Weber

On a recent trip to Hawaii (2/6/2023), Tricia and I visited Pearl Harbor in Honolulu. Pearl Harbor is a major United States military base for all four branches of the military. On December 7, 1941, it was the home of the Pacific fleet of the U.S. Navy. The fleet was decimated by a surprise attack by squadrons of Japanese fighter planes. It was in response to this attack that the United States entered World War II.

While visiting Pearl Harbor, we visited the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific to pay our respects at the grave of my uncle, Carl Willenborg.

The information in this article is a combination of material we gathered from the National Memorial Cemetery, Chuck Weber, and the memoir my mother prepared with the help of my brother, Jim. I have attempted to be factually accurate while portraying Carl’s life as an integral part of our family. 

Carl was born on March 8th, 1924, the youngest of Ben and Martha Willenborg’s five children. My mother, Iven, was the oldest. She would have been ten years old when Carl was born. No doubt she coddled him as an infant and regularly babysat him. 

Carl grew up on his parents’ farm in Independence, Iowa. Upon graduating from high school, he enrolled in junior college. Not long after, the nation went to war, and Carl and a high school friend enlisted in the Marine Corps. 

At the time of Carl’s enlistment, his oldest sister, my mother (Iven), had three small children: Nancy, Paul, and Phil. She was pregnant with Kathleen. According to my mother’s notes, Carl loved playing with his niece and nephews. After joining the service, he and his oldest sister regularly traded letters. 

Upon enlisting in 1942, Carl was stationed in Camp Pendleton near San Diego, California, for basic training. Normally, soldiers are given “leave” upon successfully completing basic training. However, the war in the South Pacific was escalating; all leaves were cancelled and Carl was shipped out. 

After the devastating surprise attack at Pearl Harbor, the United States was determined to strike back. Records indicate that Carl and his unit participated in the invasion of Namor, Kwajalein Atoll, in January or February 1944. From there, they went to Maui then onto Saipan. To penetrate the enemy’s defenses and gain bases from which aircraft could strike at the Japanese home islands, the United States undertook to seize the Mariana Islands in the summer of 1944. 

On June 15, 1944, under the cover of air and naval bombardment by the 5th fleet, the 2nd and 4th marine divisions of the V Amphibious Corps (VAC) landed in Saipan. The Japanese reaction was immediate and vigorous. Carl and several other soldiers were swimming from their ship to the beach to secure the island for the rest of their troops. Japanese snipers, camouflaged in trees, opened fire on the defenseless Marines in the water. Carl was killed instantly, and his body recovered. Initially, he was buried in Saipan, but later, his remains were moved to Hawaii and buried in the National Cemetery (also referred to as the “punch bowl”) in Honolulu. It was this grave we visited.  Another marker on the family plot in Dyersville, Iowa, bears the plaque, “Carl Willenborg, born 3-8-1924, died in the service of his country at Saipan 6-16-1944. Buried in Hawaii.” There is also a large monument on Saipan with a plague where Carl is memorialized, along with thousands of others killed in the invasion. 

Carl was 20 years old. His family never saw him again after he left Iowa for basic training. 

Submitted By: Daniel Weber

I put together a paper about Carl's time in service several years ago to better understand his story myself. I talked with surviving members of his unit and his unit's appointed historian. Below are the findings of my research:

I don’t remember ever getting a straight answer in all my years about what exactly Grandma’s great-uncle did or how he passed away. At the time, it never really bothered me, but was always intriguing to me.

Through the years, I have learned the significance of such an act and, more so, the life that has been given for us. With this goes the duty to remember, honor, and cherish the memory. I have spent several weeks researching and corresponding with several sources familiar with 1st Battalion 24th Marines, which was the unit Carl served with during the Second World War. I have put together a fairly solid description of his time in service. While at first wanting to know for myself, I thought it might be a good project to put together so others in the family can better understand, explain, and pass down the memory of our Great Uncle Carl Joseph Willenborg.

Carl J. Willenborg joined up on January 14, 1943. His MCSN was 815887, meaning a Selective Service volunteer. He went to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego for boot camp with the 11th Recruit Battalion; from there to the infantry training center at Camp Elliott. Private Willenborg then joined Company A, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines, on August 26, 1943. The muster rolls don't show any unusual information - sickness or disciplinary action or anything like that - so it's pretty safe to say he was a good, solid Marine in First Platoon. The regiment finished up training at Camp Pendleton; Carl earned his first promotion January 1, 1944, about a week and a half before his battalion shipped out for combat in the invasion of Namur, Kwajalein atoll.

Carl was assigned as a Rifleman in the first platoon of Alpha Company during the invasion of Namur. While I don’t have any specific accounts from his platoon, I have included two descriptions of the invasion by members of his company, and it is safe to say that everyone had a similar experience.

The 4th Marine Division secured Roi-Namur within two days (among the dead was Carl's battalion commander, Lt.Col. Aquilla Dyess, who was awarded the Medal of Honor) and sailed to Maui where they established a base camp (called, fittingly, Camp Maui.) Again, there's nothing in particular that stands out about Carl's record, but his MOS changed to 653 (fire team/squad leader), and he made corporal in May 1944. With this quick progression of rank and responsibility, it is safe to say he demonstrated confidence and leadership under fire. Not long after that, the battalion boarded the USS Calvert and headed for Saipan.

 Corporal Willenborg's assignment as the boat guide for his platoon was a rather nice vote of confidence from his platoon leader. Lt. Paul Rossi was going into his first combat after replacing "Oz" Osgood. He had two good NCOs to advise him - Platoon Sergeant Frank Tucker, who had a Navy Cross from Namur, was second in command, and the platoon guide, Sergeant George Lowry, was just as solid. Rossi, Tucker, and Lowry each took a boat with a squad from First Platoon to land in the first wave. (Its important to note that 1/24 had not been involved in the main landing in the morning of June 15 - they were off on a decoy landing in the north, recalled to the boats, and landed later that afternoon. How effective the decoy was remains debatable, but it definitely saved a lot of lives in their unit at least.) 

As boat guide, Corporal Willenborg's job was to make sure that everyone in his platoon got into their correct landing craft and to help reorganize the platoon after landing. He was probably in Lt. Rossi's boat - which also contained a runner, the platoon's second squad (which would make that Willenborg's, but that's not 100% clear), and a section of machine gunners. Furthermore, Rossi's boat was designated as 1-1 - the lead boat in the first wave. Carl Willenborg could very easily have been the first member of the battalion to set foot on Saipan.  

Carl was killed on this first day of fighting on Saipan, and the details are a little murky, but I will present my findings and thoughts on the matter. 1/24 landed not far from and advanced through the town of Charan Kanoa. One of Saipan's main industries before the war had been sugar; one of the main refineries was located in Charan Kanoa, and its smokestack somehow survived the bombardment before the landing. A Japanese artillery spotter was up there for two days before being discovered and managed to cause all manner of havoc. He hit 1/24 about fifteen minutes after they landed, and one of the first casualties was PFC Smith, who was knocked unconscious by a near miss. He holed up with another wounded Marine to recover; he'd been out for about 20 minutes, and the company had advanced across an open field in full view of the enemy artillery. In the words of an HQ lieutenant, casualties were "light," but it's possible that Carl was hit by shrapnel in this first flurry of firing.

The second, and to my mind more likely incident, occurred that night after the battalion dug in. They had managed to take some Japanese fortifications, which allowed them a bit of protection but unfortunately also meant they were pre-spotted for enemy artillery. The HQ lieutenant, Fred Stott, said, "With the darkness came a series of artillery barrages which far exceeded anything experienced or expected. As our familiarity with shelling increased, fear correspondingly declined, but had it not been for the trenches, the casualties would have been very heavy, and they were plentiful regardless!” George Smith said, “The shellfire that first night on Saipan was the worst experience I remember. If there was a place I could have run to, I would. Most of us stayed on the line because we were petrified and didn’t want to let our friends down.... We could hear those rounds getting closer and closer. Thank God our batteries opened up and the fire lifted. The next rounds would have landed right on us.” A clerk back at headquarters lost his best friend when rats invaded their foxhole; Corporal Robert Hunget went to camp in the open just as the first shells came in and was blown to pieces. It's hard to say without obtaining casualty cards for each individual, but from the information I've obtained, this shelling caused most of the 9 deaths and 31 serious wounds in 1/24 on June 15.  

The fact that Carl Willenborg's death is sometimes reported as June 16 suggests that he was killed in this nighttime shelling. "Found dead in field" is a somewhat nebulous term, but from what I've studied, it generally seems to indicate an event that happened at night that couldn't be confirmed until daylight - naturally, Marines wouldn't stir from their holes after dark unless there was absolutely no alternative, and oftentimes had to endure hours knowing a buddy's hole had been hit without being able to go help. Or, as possibly suggested by the casualty card, he was mortally wounded but did not survive to be evacuated, dying on June 16.

It has eased my mind putting all this information together in hopes it can be better understood amongst those who would have grown to know him. What can be said without a doubt in my mind is Carl was an incredibly courageous man. One can only dream about the great things he could have accomplished if things had been fated a different way.

I am in correspondence with several historians for his Marine unit. They have asked me to pass along any stories or pictures about/of Carl from his time in and out of the service. They have been working on putting together biographies on members of his battalion for future generations.

For right now, the information available is at an end. I am in the process of obtaining his military records to gather more information, and so I can put together a shadow box for my own keeping. I would also like to put together a second shadowbox with a stand for his ceremonial sword as a better memorial, so if the holder of it could get in touch with me for measurements, that would be great. I hope this has cleared some misconceptions and helped you all understand a member of our family that should always be remembered.

Submitted by: Mark Weber

In 2022, I raised the idea of starting a family newsletter. As our family continues to grow, it has become more difficult for everyone to attend the annual family reunion. The purpose of the newsletter is to keep everyone apprised of our family between reunions. I asked Jenny Nasland to be the Editor-In-Chief and recruited Alec Weber, Caitlin Weber and Megan Kluesner to be on the editorial board. All are members of the third or fourth generation. With their youth, talent and energy, we hope to see fresh ideas to build this into a tradition that compliments the family reunion for many years to come. 

Submitted by: Arlette Paule Weber

Reminder: Mark your calendars - June 23rd and June 24th family reunion in California. Now is the time to book your flights, reserve rental cars, and plan your vacation. You still have plenty of time to reserve your rooms. See you soon.

Check out the Google document below for details on key dates, hotel information, local attractions, and California trip ideas:

California Reunion Information

Submitted by: Mark Weber

The Weber family reunion began in about 1969. Les and Iven hosted the first get-together in their backyard at 200 Fremont Ave in Dubuque, Iowa. Les and Iven continued to host them in their backyard for the next 25 years.

In about 1995, as they were 81 and 80 years old, they announced it was getting to be too much work, and they would no longer be able to host them. Their eight children felt the reunions were too much fun and agreed to take over the tradition. They decided they would take turns hosting, starting with the oldest (Nancy) to the youngest (Russ), then continue the rotation indefinitely. 

The date would be the weekend closest to Les and Iven's wedding anniversary, June 25. The location would be the home of the hosting family. Approximately every other year, the event would be held in Dubuque. The hosting family underwrote the cost of the food and beverage. Out-of-town siblings often stayed at the homes of those living in Dubuque to minimize travel costs. 

When Les (2006) and Iven (2012) died, the eight children each agreed to place $30,000 of their inheritance into an account to "endow" the costs of future family reunions. That account is managed by the three trustees: Mark Weber, Jeff Weber, and Jay Weber. A portion of the income is available for distribution annually to offset a portion of the hosting family's cost. 

Tom Weber was a first cousin to the eight siblings and had a very close relationship with our family. He and his wife, Arlette, asked to be included in the rotation to host the reunion. They hosted at their beautiful Chicago lake home, and in 2023 Arlette has asked to host in her new home in San Rafael, California in honor of Tom, who passed away in 2020.

Today the reunions are often hosted by the children of the eight siblings (The third generation or "G3"). The location is at the complete discretion of the hosting family. As of 2020, there are over 100 direct descendants of Les and Iven, and attendance is often over 70 people. The reunion has continued for over 50 consecutive years. It is a source of pride in our family and a tribute to Les and Iven's devotion to family.

Submitted by: Jim Weber

This is an oral history of an unlikely friendship between a young man and an old man. There is no claim to truth or accuracy, and I intend to take full advantage of literary license in telling these memories.

The old man was my grandfather on my mother's side, Ben Willenborg. Ben was born in 1885 and was older than I am now when I was born. It always amazes me to think I may be a great influence on someone yet to be born. 

Our friendship began when Ben was 85, and I was 16. Mom knew the move to the nursing home was hard on her dad and that he was often lonely in his one-room home. I was a rambunctious 16 year old that would do just about anything to get behind the wheel of a car. So mom came up with this scheme to have me run errands for her and give me a little free time to use the car on condition I visit grandpa at Stonehill. I wasn’t crazy about the idea, but I did get the car. 

At 16, I was kind of at a loss for where I fit in the world. I wasn’t in sports or theater or music. I was shy and sensitive and didn’t have much confidence. Grandpa had a little workbench in his basement, and I loved to “help” him at times. He was kind and encouraging and sparked an interest in carpentry and wood. I started to learn more about wood and the local history of logging and milling around Dubuque. I picked up a book by Eric Sloan called “Reverence For Wood” and loved how the early Americans made just about everything out of wood, including the kitchen sink. Grandpa, I soon learned, lived this history. 

On our first few visits, I realized I had to slow down, speak loudly, and listen carefully. Grandpa was not just old, but he was really, really old. Maybe even ancient. His speech was slow, and he took time to formulate his thoughts. He had some dementia and would repeat the same stories. I quickly learned all I had to do was ask questions, and he would pause, think about it a little and fill in the details. 

I started to realize that he lived the history that I was reading about and came alive when I asked him about it. Most of the time, when I went to the nursing home, Ben was slumped over in his chair. I could never tell if he was dead or just asleep. I would call out his name several times, and he would finally open his eyes. When he would see it was me, he would get a big smile on his face, sit up straight and welcome me in. Here was an adult that was interested in me and I in him. Thus began our deep and everlasting friendship. 

I hope to use this column to tell as many of these treasured stories that I can remember. Stay tuned for more from Ben and Me.

Submitted by: Kathleen Weber

Dad asked Nancy and me if we would dye his increasingly graying hair. I am uncertain about his exact age, but he definitely had some grey hair. We bought an over-the-counter black dye and washed and applied it to his hair at the kitchen sink. 

It looked pretty good - for a day or so. Then Dad got the flu, couldn’t go to work (which tells you how sick he was), ran a temp, was confined to bed, and the black dye ran all over his pillowcase. This was the first and last time he ever had his hair dyed.

Incidentally, my Dad, Les Weber, would be one hundred and ten years old on March 3, 2023.

Submitted by: Jennifer Naslund

In May 1995, Iven Weber shared a collection of essays in an attempt to let her children and grandchildren know where she came from and help them remember their heritage. Iven’s essays were combined together in a 91 page collection called Reflections of the Past. Spend some time enjoying the stories and memories passed on from Iven. Below is the

 closing quote she left for us: “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good that I can do, or any kindness that I can show another human being, let me do it now, and not defer it. For I shall not pass this way again.” - Author unknown 

Submitted by: Jeff Weber  

In 1919, Iowa Motor Trades Bureau President John Rude, Rude Auto Company, stated, “We should not organize for the sole object of influencing legislation or protecting us against some unjust taxati

on. We must organize not only with this purpose in view, but with a broader idea of putting our individual businesses on a business basis, which means that we should make money and operate our places in a way which will not invite criticism. If we do this, we need not fear but that we will receive just treatment from every source, as all will know that we are able to protect ourselves.”

50 years later in March 1970, Iowa Governor Robert D. Ray signed the “Iowa Dealer Franchise Bill of Rights” protecting the investment of several hundred Iowa New Vehicle Franchise Auto Dealers. At that time, Les R. Weber, was the Vice-President of what was then known as the Iowa Auto Dealers Association (IADA). L.R. Weber would assume the role as President of IADA the following year continuing his advocacy for Iowa Auto dealers.

Not only was L.R. Weber a successful entrepreneur in the auto industry, he became a strong advocate for all Iowa auto dealers through his service as a board member and officer of the IADA. Iowa’s franchise law enacted in 1970 continues to this day to be a model for all other States as one of the strongest auto dealer franchise laws in the country. What an amazing legacy! 

The model of service to the industry inspired by Les R. Weber continued with his son Phil serving as Chairperson of the State Association in 2007 and grandson Jeff serving as Chairperson in 2015. Grandson Tim currently serves on the IADA Foundation for Education that provides scholarships to students interested in pursuing education related to the Auto Industry.