Ranger Exes Memorial - RHS Class of 1941
RJC


H. EVERETT WEAVER, SR., 79, passed away on July 18, 2003, 
in Fort Worth, TX, with burial in Greenwood Memorial Park. 

Harold Everett Weaver was born Feb. 14, 1924, in Avery. He 
grew up in Ranger, TX and attended Ranger High School in
the Class of 1941.  He entered the U.S. Army during WWII. 
He was a proud member of the 4th Infantry Division and was 
a survivor of the Normandy Beach landing on D-Day. He turned 
19 in France and 20 in Germany. After the war he returned to 
Ranger and married Luella Blackwell (RHS-1945, in 1947. They
celebrated 56 years of marriage.  He lived his remaining 
years in Fort Worth. He worked for General Dynamics, the 
State Comptroller's Office of Texas for 15 years and at
Ridgmar Mall in maintenance.

He was a member of the Ridglea Masonic Lodge for many years. 
Everett was an avid sports fan and his favorite team was the 
Dallas Cowboys. His favorite hobbies were gardening & cooking 
barbecue. His famous briskets and ribs were coveted by everyone. 
He loved his family and was proud of each of them.  His great 
sense of humor will be missed by everyone he knew. He spent his 
last years at St. Francis Village in Crowley. He volunteered 
his services in many ways at the Village.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Judy Lynn Wende; 
brother, Joseph P. Weaver (RHS-1938); and parents, Elisha P. 
and Anne B. Darnall Weaver.

Survivors at the time of his death : wife, Luella Weaver; 
children and spouses, Janice and Mickey Edwards, Harold E. 
Weaver Jr. and Joe Weaver; grandchildren and spouses, Tamara 
and David Fiorenza, Melody and Shawn McFall, Todd and Tomoe 
Wende, Josh and Mistie Weaver, Justin Weaver; extended family, 
Rick Wende, Vanessa Edwards and Melissa Edwards; great-grand-
children, David, Cody and Dalton Fiorenza, Shelby McFall, 
Bradley Weaver; and brothers and sisters, T.C. Weaver (RHS-
1933), Dale Weaver (RHS-1941), Clara Mae Weaver Boney (RHS-
1930), & Mary Weaver Allen (RHS-1936). 

ARTILLERY ON THE BEACH (Fort Worth Star Telegram)
 
I landed on Utah Beach on D-Day with Battery C, 44th Field 
Artillery, 4th Infantry Division.
 
We loaded on ships at Portsmouth during the latter part of 
May, and there was no doubt where we were going because we 
were paid in French money while sitting off the English coast.
 
We left June 2 and joined other ships in the channel for the 
invasion.
 
My battery landed at 10:30 a.m.  We went on an LCVP and as 
we came close to the French coast, we could see the battleship 
USS Texas firing on the coast.  This is the same battleship 
on display at San Jacinto today.
 
As we got closer to the shore, there were numerous bodies 
floating in the English Channel, all kinds of debris, parts 
of ships, etc.  We landed about 100 yards off the beach and 
drove our tanks, self-propelled artillery and trucks to the 
shore.  We set up our artillery and fired many rounds from 
the beach.
 
We did not land where we were supposed to, but about two 
miles away.  Our maps were of no use to us.  In addition, 
there were about two divisions of Germans on the move. They 
had flooded the area behind the beach, and we could not get 
through.
 
We stayed on the beach all night D-Day.
 
The next day the engineers had built pontoon bridges over 
the flooded area and we moved forward to St. Mere-Eglise.  
We spearheaded the St. Lo breakthrough and were the first 
division in Paris.    Everett Weaver, Fort Worth TX