Obituary: Cameron Iles Weaver

Cameron Iles Weaver, 71, died peacefully at home after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease on Sunday, March 14, 2021. Born in Springfield, Ohio on August 31, 1949, Cam grew up in California and attended The Thatcher School and then Cornell University before eventually settling in Mount Vernon, Maine in 1973. 

In 1974, Cam was married to Julie Kalna in a small ceremony on Blueberry Hill down the road from the homestead they were building together. Cam was a remarkably talented and creative man whose ambitious, can-do attitude towards life led him to building his first post-and-beam house where he taught himself to work the land and lived with his family for decades to come. 

Known by many as a kind and gentle-mannered man, Cam was a beloved member of his community. He always made a pointed effort to be involved and to offer his many talents for the betterment of his community and the lives of its members. Cam was a soft-spoken guy, but he always spoke up for what he believed and was well respected for it. He touched the lives of many, and was always eager to help others anyway he could. Shortly after moving to Maine, he joined the Mount Vernon Fire Department where he served for over 30 years as a volunteer and helped build the Department into what it is today. He was regularly involved in town government and served as Mount Vernon Selectman for many years. 

Cam worked for many years with the Kennebec Valley Regional Heath Agency (now the HealthReach Community Health Centers), where he helped to establish health centers in underserved rural areas. He met many life-long friends while working on this project, some of whom ended up following him to Mount Vernon. 

In 1985, Cam re-trained as a teacher and subsequently began his 19-year teaching career at Maranacook Community School. He was loved and respected by students and colleagues alike - always striving to make a difference. He began teaching middle school math, but eventually helped envision, design and implement an integrated curriculum to better serve the needs of middle school students. Mr. Weaver was patient and engaged with his students. He was creative and inspired with his teaching. Mr. Weaver also coached the middle school girls soccer team, coached the middle school math team, built sets for the theater, and mentored countless students and colleagues. 

Alongside his role as an educator, Cam was an accomplished woodworker and also enjoyed an active, outdoor lifestyle - taking full advantage of the the natural beauty Maine had to offer. He was a long-time member of the Kennebec Valley Woodworkers Association and assisted on numerous projects over the years with kindred spirits he met there.

His love of water may have been forged while rowing at Cornell, but being out on the water in a sail boat - big or small - was what made him truly happy. Cam went out on the lakes of Maine or the coast of New England as often as he could. Rowing or sailing, it didn’t matter. He loved being on the water with friends. Hiking, camping, biking or any excuse to explore and share the natural world brought him great joy.

Cam was a true builder: he not only built two beautiful homes, a Beetle Cat sailboat, and a sculling rowboat, but he would also build you a deck, a barn or a greenhouse, should that be helpful. Ultimately, Cam was best at using his talents to build community, and in the process, he built a beautiful life for his friends and his family. 

Upon his diagnosis with Parkinson’s Disease in 2002, he was able to take an early retirement in order to build another beautiful home designed with the impending limitations of his illness in mind. He would always say, “We made all the mistakes with the first house, so we’ll get it all right with this one.” Meanwhile, Cam continued to be deeply involved in his community. He carried on his work and advocacy for the Kennebec Land Trust and other local organizations he believed in. He also never stopped honing his woodworking skills, and turned countless wooden bowls on his lathe. These bowls - since gifted to friends around the world - represent a splendid and enduring witness to his legacy.

Just before the birth of his first grandchild, after 43 years in Maine, Cam relocated to San Juan Island in Washington State in 2016. There he spent the last five years enjoying his family alongside ocean vistas.

Cam was a dreamer. Cam was a do-er. Cam was a lot of things for a lot of people. He will be remembered as a loving husband, father, brother, neighbor and friend. His spirit and courage in life and in death was remarkable and impacted the lives of so many around him. He will be missed, but our world is certainly a significantly better world because of his encouraging optimism, hopeful vision and quietly attentive grace. 

Cam is survived by his wife Julie, his son, Scott Cameron, his daughter, Carrie Beth, his son-in-law Isaac Newbury, his grandchildren Neah Olive and Penney Rye, his sister Laura McNaughton, his brother Andrew Weaver, many cousins, their families, and his beloved friends.

The family requests that gifts in Cam’s honor be made to PADs  for Parkinson’s - an organization located on San Juan Island that has trained dogs to successfully detect Parkinson's Disease in patients, a program that Cam participated in. Since there is no definitive laboratory diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, the dogs may be able to provide an important contribution to the search for a cause or a cure and provide the greatest hope for slowing progression of the disease. Please consider a donation in Cam’s name using the link below.