Friends and family remember Dick Weeks

    Dick Weeks, a lifelong resident of Washington and the owner of Sitler Electric Supply Inc., passed away Wednesday morning. Weeks had many friends in Washington who have fond memories of the man who gave so much to the community.

    Dale Torpey, the president of Federation Bank in Washington, was a friend of Weeks for almost 30 years. Torpey said what he remembers most about Weeks was his knowledge of how to run a business.

    ?Dick was a very astute businessman,? said Torpey. ?He was one of the most unassuming guys you?d ever want to know. Dick was a self-made man, the kind of man we?re getting fewer and fewer of.?

    Weeks was on the boards of Federation Bank and Washington Bancorp. Torpey said Weeks provided him with tremendous insight into money lending and other financial matters.

    ?He knew a lot of people in town and he knew their character,? said Torpey. ?He never wanted to be controversial. He was always a compromiser, and there aren?t a lot of people like that anymore.?

    One of Weeks? defining characteristics was the way he dressed, said Torpey.

    ?Dick was one of the best-dressed guys in town,? said Torpey. ?He always dressed impeccably. You seldom saw him wear the same outfit.?

    Torpey said that Weeks was someone he saw on a daily basis at Federation Bank. He said it will be difficult to adjust to a life without Weeks in it.

    ?Dick was so vibrant and active that you almost thought he was going to be around forever,? said Torpey. ?He lived a great, full life, but you always hate to see someone go. This is a loss for our bank and the entire community. We?re all going to miss him.?     

    Weeks had 24 nieces and nephews. Ed Weeks, Dick?s oldest nephew and the son of Dick?s brother Samuel, said his uncle?s generosity is what he remembers most about him.

    ?When the Weeks family got together for Christmas at our grandparents?, Dick always had a gift for all his nieces and nephews,? said Ed. ?He certainly didn?t have to do that. When we grew up, he always checked up on us to see how my wife and kids were doing. He cared deeply for his nieces and nephews, and I?ll never forget that.?

    Golf was a passion of Dick?s that he shared with his family and friends. Ed said the two of them played golf numerous times. He said Dick was also very concerned about his health and was a member of the local YMCA for over 60 years. Dick was the chair of the Community Y endowment, the Community Theater Endowment, and the United Methodist Church endowment.

    The card game Bridge was another of Weeks? hobbies. Russ Bannister was one of Weeks? bridge-buddies who played with him on a regular basis.

    ?A group of us from the Noon Kiwanis played bridge every Wednesday for 15 years,? said Bannister. ?Dick and I played with Ray Carter and Del Soper. We were all very close friends. When you play bridge with someone for three or four hours at a time, you get to know them.?

    Bannister said Weeks was a friendly man and someone who was intense about his business, Sitler?s.

    ?Dick was very active in the community,? said Bannister. ?He always did his part in Kiwanis. He was someone people looked up to.?

For the full article, see the Jan. 7 print edition of the Washington Evening Journal.