Centenary Celebrations

An overview of the celebrations and events held in 2018 and early 2019 to mark the 100th birthday of William A. Weber.

Friday, November 16, 2018
The Day – 100 Years Old !

The Birthday Boy Pleased as Punch !

An intimate celebration and dinner with family, friends, and colleagues at the A View of the World Gallery in Boulder, CO, on Friday, November 16, 2018, 6 to 9 p.m. Presentations included a welcome speech on behalf of the family by William’s eldest daughter Linna Weber Müller-Wille, middle daughter Heather Dawn sang a song, a Swedish birthday song sung by his youngest daughter Erica Rice and her husband Mike Palmer, and a presentation by his grandson Ragnar Müller-Wille of a genealogy chart depicting William Weber’s known ancestors back to the Reformation. A looped slide show of family photos spanning nearly 100 years was projected on a screen throughout the evening. The King Sooper’s supermarket at Table Mesa donated a birthday cake with moss decorations (see above photo).

Four Generations of Family Members Present at the Celebration

The Party

Events leading up to and following the actual day

Wednesday, August 15, 2018
American Bryological and Lichenological Society (ABLS) – 2018 Annual Meeting
– Awards Presentation –

Celebration with awards presentations at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Bryological and Lichenological Society (ABLS) held at the Mountain Research Station (MRS), University of Colorado, Nederland, CO, on Wednesday, August 15, 2018. Speeches and awards presented by

  • Erin A. Tripp, William A. Weber Herbarium, University of Colorado, ABLS local organizer
  • John Shaw, Duke University, ABLS president
  • Frank Bungartz, Arizona State University, IAL representative
  • Timothy M. Hogan, Museum of Natural History Herbarium, University of Colorado

International Association for Lichenology (IAL)

William A Weber is the recipient of the IAL’s 2018 Acharius Medal.

“The Acharius Medal is awarded by the IAL honouring outstanding lifetime achievements in lichenology. William Alfred Weber was awarded the Acharius medal on July 20th of 2018, during the 11th International Mycological Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and since he is 100 years old and still active, his lifetime contribution is exceptionally long.”

Louise Lindblom: The Acharius Medal. William Alfred Weber.
International Lichenological Newsletter 51 (2), December 2018: 4-5.

“Bill Weber eventually received the Acharius Medal at a ceremony on August 15th 2018, during the ABLS meeting in Colorado, USA. Many thanks to Erin Tripp and Carla Rae Anderson who organised the transportation, and acted as couriers to carry the medal from Puerto Rico to this event, and to Frank Bungartz who, in the end, did the presentation on behalf of me!”

Mats Wedin, President of the IAL.

American Bryological and Lichenological Society (ABLS)

William A Weber is the first recipient of the ABLS Lifetime Achievement Awards.

  • Elizabeth G. Britton Award for Bryology
  • Chicita F. Culberson Culberson Award for Lichenology

Article – Timothy M. Hogan and Erin A. Tripp: William A. Weber receives ABLS lifetime achievement awards.
Evansia 35 (3) 2018: 106-108.

Wednesday, October 31, 2018
The University of Colorado Retired Faculty Association (CURFA)
– Luncheon

Introduction by David R. Kassoy, CURFA president.
William A Weber – hired in 1946 and professor emeritus since 1990 – is the University of Colorado’s longest serving and oldest living staff member.

“There will also be a celebration of the 100th birthday of Bill Weber, curator emeritus of CU’s Natural History Museum. Museum Director Patrick Kociolek will talk about Bill Weber’s many accomplishments. A social session will take place from 11:30 a.m. to noon, followed by a buffet lunch that precedes the presentation “The College of Arts and Sciences: Challenges, Opportunities and Why Vision Is So Important”

Jim White, paleoclimatologist
CURFA Newsletter XXIII, No. 1, Fall 2018: 1-2.

Monday, November 12, 2018
Colorado Native Plant Society (CoNPS)
– Luncheon

A luncheon to honor William A. Weber was held at Carelli’s Italian Restaurant in Boulder with members of the Colorado Native Plant Society, special guest Norma Grigs (Weber’s first assistant in 1946), his daughters Linna and Heather, and grandson Ragnar present. William A. Weber is a founding member of CoNPS, was a member of its first Board of Directors in 1976, and was later the Society’s president.

The Society’s magazine and newsletter published a retrospective article on William A. Weber’s career.
Turner, Jan Loechell: Appreciating 100 Years of a Remarkable Life: William A. Weber and the People Who Influenced Him. Aquilegia 2018 Fall Volume 42-5, pp. 16-18, 32.

Thursday, November 15, 2018
University of Colorado Museum of Natural History
– Reception

Reception for staff and public with refreshments and a cake made from a 100 year old recipe. An introduction and speech by the museum’s director Patrick Kociolek highlighting William A. Weber’s achievements and importance. Herbarium Collections Managers Timothy M. Hogan and Dina Clark presented Dr. Weber with a digital copy of the type specimen of Saussurea weberi, the first plant named after William A. Weber.

Digitized Copy of the Type Specimen of Saussurea weberi in the CU Museum of Natural History Herbarium.

Photos by Glenn Asakawa

November 13 to 16, 2018
Elevations Credit Union
– Tea, Coffee, Cakes and Balloons

As the oldest living charter member of the Elevations Credit Union Boulder (founded in 1953 as the U of C Federal Credit Union), William A. Weber was honored by them with a four day celebration. Starting on November 13th the Table Mesa branch was decked out with birthday balloons and banners, refreshments were provided for any and all visitors to partake, and on the 16th William Weber was honored with official presentations by Gerry Agnes (president and CEO) and various Branch Staff.

November 27, 2018
Brookdale Meridian Senior Living
– Reception

Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Faculty Tuesdays Series, College of Music, University of Colorado at Boulder
– Dedication

At the Faculty Tuesdays Series concert on January 15, 2019, the CU Boulder College of Music recognized centenarian Dr. Bill Weber and his long standing contributions at CU Boulder. Highlighting his standing as the world authority on lichens and mosses of the Galapagos, his many years of teaching in the CU biology department, his curatorship at the University Museum of Natural History, and his frequent attendance over the decades at College of Music events and his being a member of the original CU Festival Chorus in the 1940s, the music faculty honored Dr. Weber by naming a seat in Grusin Hall. A plaque with his name will be affixed to William Weber’s favorite seat. The dedication took place at the Faculty Tuesday Series concert “William Primrose in Song” featuring arrangements by William Primrose of works by Villa-Lobos, Wagner, Massenet, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Nevin performed by Erika Eckert, viola; Margaret McDonald, piano; Abigail Nims, mezzo soprano; Erik Erlandson, orator. Former Dean Dr. Daniel Sher (Professor of Piano; Dean, 1993-2013) spoke, saying,

“In addition to his incredible contribution to the field of botany, Dr Weber has always been a supporter of music… and [is] one of the most loyal patrons at our Faculty Tuesday Concerts in Grusin Hall. Dr Weber was a part of the original Festival Chorus and performed in the Messiah at the Chorus’s first CU event in 1946. Bill has been supporting the CU Boulder College of Music, and is a regular patron at Faculty Tuesday Concerts and other events. Tonight we honor Weber’s legacy here at Boulder. This is the 100th anniversary of the CU Music School. This is the only time I am aware of when one department honors someone from another department.”

Chair Dedication at Grusin Hall
(Source: 50 Plus Markeplace News, Boulder County, Volume 25, Issue 2, February 2019, p. 3)

Articles Surrounding the Centenary

Daniel Strain: Faculty in Focus: At 99, botanist’s love of lichens is still going strong. Pioneering botanist Professor Emeritus William Weber built CU Boulder’s collection of flowering plants, mosses and lichens from the ground up.
CU Boulder Today, September 17, 2018

Charlie Brennan: Family gives thanks as Boulder man flourishes past 100 years. Bill Weber, renowned botanist, has not lost passion for life.
Boulder Daily Camera, Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 22, 2018, A1 and A9 Weber.

Jan Loechell Turner: Appreciating 100 Years of a Remarkable Life: William A.Weber and the People Who Influenced Him.
Aquilegia. Newsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society (CoNPS), Volume 42, No. 5, Fall 2018: 16-18 and 32.

50 Plus Marketplace News • Boulder County • February 2019 • Page 3
Picture taken at the Faculty Concert dedication: (left to right) xx, Heidi Alina, Heather Harris, Dr. William A. Weber, Dean Dr. Daniel Sher, xx, xx