A memorial service for George Weigle — the longtime and beloved Staples High School choral director who died last month at 90 — is set for this Saturday (September 22, 2 p.m.) at the United Methodist Church on Weston Road. In addition to his Staples tenure, he served as choral director there for 43 years.
Dr. Weigle’s many friends — and countless former singers — are warmly encouraged to attend. A reception follows the service in the Fellowship Hall.
George Weigle (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
I will never forget sitting in box seats with him at Carnegie Hall, watching the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He nearly climbed out of the box to direct them himself. He was in his element.
Mr. Weigle gave me a great foundation of choral singing. He expected excellence and trained us to love good music. I’ve had opportunities to be in many fun and wonderful choirs, since Highschool; even the privilege of singing in a worldwide choir in Coventry Cathedral. Mr. Weigle gave me confidence to sing duets and solos. Thank you! Karen Siebenhausen
I sure wish I could be there but, I am out west and cannot make it. I will be there in spirit, for sure!
I was a varsity football and baseball player at Staples during my Junior and Senior years. At the time, I self-identified as a “Jock.” But I also sang in Mr. Weigle’s Choir during those years, as did many other varsity athletes. It wasn’t until I became an adult and saw my own kids get through high school, that I fully appreciated how special a man Mr. Weigle was to get a big dumb jock like me to put on a robe and sing his heart out. In spite of all the many football and baseball games I participated in, when I think back on my high school years, what I think about first is processing down a darkened auditorium at the Christmas concert, or dancing around the stage during the spring musical with a group of talented artistic kids I never would have known even existed had it not been for Mr. Weigle. To this day, when I mow the lawn, I sing over the roar “Lightning, lightning, my soul it darts like lightning …” Thank you, Mr. Weigle, may you rest in peace.