Andrew Thaddeus Weaver

Andrew Thaddeus Weaver, 31, of Palmer, died suddenly the morning of Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. He is remembered with deep affection by family and friends far and wide. He wrote the end of his story long before we were ready for it to be done.

Andrew was born in Palmer on July 6, 1984, to Beverly Winslow Cutler and Mark Andrew Weaver. He was their second child, and eldest son. He attended Pioneer Peak Elementary and Colony Middle School, playing trombone in the school band, and youth soccer with the Mudcats of the Mat Valley Comp Soccer Club. He won the school geography bee two years in a row, representing Pioneer Peak in the state competition both years. In sixth grade, Andrew won first place for the entire state of Alaska in the Johns Hopkins Youth Talent Search, for math ability. He later returned to youth soccer as a dedicated referee, earning respect from players and parents alike.

Andrew competed with his siblings to see who could enroll in the most high schools. He won, attending Fountain Valley School of Colorado, as well as Colony and Palmer high schools, before graduating from Burchell High School in Wasilla in 2001, at age 16. In Colorado, he formed strong bonds and lasting friendships. His boarding school friends remember him as deeply funny, passionate, and impossibly stubborn, as well as a sentimental romantic, though he mostly kept those aspects of his personality closely guarded behind a veil of sarcasm and wit. He was a poet at heart, someone who would not do something significant in an insignificant way.

In Fairbanks, Andrew studied environmental science at UAF, living in a one-room cabin and hauling his water through the woods from a nearby lake. In 2007, he received a B.S. in Natural Resource Management, and later studied geology and geochemistry at the graduate level. While living in the Interior, he developed a love of bluegrass music. He played the mandolin and had a knack for appreciating lesser known but truly great musicians. His Fairbanks friends remember him as “a bright light in the dark Alaska winter”, a “good-hearted, funny, gentle, and brilliant guy” who was “extremely kind and a friend to everyone he met.” He had a contagious smile and laugh, and was always fun to hike with.

Andrew was a true Alaskan, an avid outdoorsman and a craftsman of many trades. He was an agriculturist, a gifted gardener, a beekeeper, a fisherman, a moose hunter, a hiker, a mountain climber, a speaker of Spanish, and a lover of stones, bonfires, sunflowers, and wild berries. He was a talented home-builder, a master of energy-efficient construction and renewable energy technology. He was also experienced in trail building and management, as well as an able Wilderness First Responder.

Recent employment included Construction Supervisor for Habitat for Humanity of Anchorage, and Archaeological Technician for the UAF archaeology department. He also served as Natural Resources Specialist for the Division of Agriculture at the Alaska Plant Materials Center, where he is remembered as an outstanding project leader. He was always willing to share his expertise freely, giving practical tips and the wisdom of his experience to anyone who might find it useful. Per his friends and colleagues, “Andrew was always there when a buddy needed a hand – a friend who shows up on barn-raising day.”

Andrew was a beloved son and brother, a proud uncle, and a treasured companion. He is survived by his mother, Bev Cutler, of Palmer; his father, Mark Weaver, of Oregon; his siblings, Lucia and brother-in-law Brad Craven, of Virginia, Rebecca Weaver, of Anchorage, and Colin Weaver, of California; his stepfather, Mark Troutman, of Palmer; his aunt and uncle, Louann Cutler and Lamar Johnson, of Anchorage; his nephews and niece, Palmer, Huck, and Fern in Virginia; his dog, Hartford; and numerous other aunts, uncles, and cousins in the Lower 48.

An outdoor memorial service to celebrate Andrew’s life will take place in the Valley around summer solstice next year. In the meantime, friends and loved ones are encouraged to climb a mountain, collect a few rocks, swear at a pile of lumber, enjoy a growler, and tickle some babies.

Please visit Andrew’s obituary and online guestbook at www.AlaskanFuneral.com