Bernard Eugene Weller
Bernard Eugene Weller was born July 21, 1921 in Northern Meade County Kansas to Howard E and Grace Merkle Weller.  When he was one, they moved to the present home on the Meade / Gray County line, where he lived until May 2009 when they moved to Lone Tree Retirement Center in Meade.  He passed away at the Meade District Hospital on February 5, 2010.
He attended Pleasant View School about 1½ miles south of the farm. He rode a horse to school and later used a cart to haul water to the school in a 5 gallon cream can. He graduated from Fowler High School in 1940 and lettered in baseball. He attended Dodge City Jr. College, where the track coach saw him jump a fence and signed him up to high jump for the track team. He scored one point in his only meet and since the team won by one point, he jokingly said he won the meet.
Bernard was an active 4-H member for many years. At the Meade County Fair, he met Alice Wallace who was showing a hog.  Later when they were attending K-State they met again. She asked him for a ride home at Thanksgiving & he took her home for the rest of his life.
He & Alice Wallace were married on February 13, 1943 in Manhattan and a week later, he left for service in the Army Air Corp. He was a pilot and flew B-26’s, mainly flying out of Laredo, TX.  Alice moved to Laredo and they lived several places including a converted chicken coop.
Amy was born in Laredo and following his discharge, they returned to Manhattan where Steve was born and Bernard graduated from K-State in 1946 with a degree in Animal Husbandry.
Following graduation, the young family moved to the farm.  In the next few years, Susan & Bernie were born and their family was completed. Bernard was a farmer- rancher all of his life and for many years had milking shorthorns & polled Herefords. In later years he switched to crossbreds even including longhorns.  The kids & grandkids remember exciting rides with Grandpa when he was chasing cattle with his pickup.
Bernard was a leader for Sky High 4-H Club in Gray County for 25+ years, held many offices & taught Sunday School at Montezuma United Methodist Church, a past master and member of Webb Lodge 275 AF & AM and received a 50 year member pin.  He and Alice were also active in Order of the Eastern Star in Ensign for many years.
Bernard loved sports, especially baseball and coached the Montezuma Babe Ruth team one year. Bernard and the kids played ball every night after supper in the summer. He loved playing all types of games including bridge, checkers, crocono etc.
Bernard is survived by his wife of 67 years Alice L. Weller, children: Amy & Harry Zielke of Larned, Steve & Lyn Weller of Meade, Susan & Bob Watson of Hillsboro and Bernard Jr. & Ratna Weller of Dodge City, 15 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 9, 2010, at the United Methodist Church, Montezuma, Kansas, with Reverend Jerry Odle presiding. Interment was in the Graceland Cemetery, Meade.
The family would welcome memorials to the United Methodist Church or the Webb Lodge A.F. & A.M. in care of Fidler-Orme-Bachman Mortuary, Meade.
Personal condolences may be given to the family at www.fidlerormebachmanmortuary.com