Robert Mark Weis

1956 – 2013

Amherst, Robert Mark Weis, 57, of Amherst, Massachusetts died at home on Sunday, October 20^th, 2013.  Born August 31^st, 1956 in Tallahassee, Fl, he was the third son of Verna Kugler Weis and the late Vernon Weis.  Bob spent his youth in Cincinnati, OH where he discovered his love of the natural world and science.  He graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Chemistry, earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California Berkeley.   He joined the faculty of the Chemistry Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1988 where he shared his passion for science with numerous students and colleagues.  Bob was a John and Fannie Hertz Graduate Fellow, a Jane Coffin Childs Postdoctoral Fellow, a Beckman Young Investigator, cofounder of Protein Attachment Technologies, LLC and was awarded 3 US Patents for his discoveries.  Bob is survived by his loving wife, colleague, and friend, Elizabeth Connor, and his beloved son, Connor James Weis.  Also surviving Bob are his mother, Verna Kugler Weis of Forest, Virginia; his two brothers, Richard Weis (Barbara Rogers) of Lexington, KY; William Weis (Marta) of Lynchburg, VA; his sisters-in-spirit, Mary Jane Connor of Easton, NY and Kathleen Connor (Thomas Cove) of Takoma Park, MD; his nephews, Jeff Weis (Valerie Feldman), Kevin Weis, William Cove, and Jack Cove; and his niece, Elizabeth Cove; and many relatives and friends.  He will be remembered for his gentle nature, humility, wry humor, hours coaching Connor’s soccer and basketball teams, and his resilience in the face of great adversity. Calling hours will be held at the Douglass Funeral Service in Amherst on Friday, October 25^th from 5-8PM and a celebration of Bob’s life will be held at St. Brigid’s Church in Amherst on Saturday, October 26^th at 10AM.  Contributions may be sent to the Fort River Elementary School Fund for Science Education established in Bob’s memory c/o Amherst Schools Business Office, 170 Chestnut Street, Amherst, MA 01002. Bob’s courage and perseverance were examples to us.  He will be dearly missed by his students, friends, and family. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.