David Allen “Dave” Weed, 67, of Salina, Kansas, passed away Monday, April 18th, 2022 in the loving arms of his family.
Dave was born in Colby, Kansas on March 12, 1955 to parents Mary Helen (Sutter) Weed and Jack Donald Weed.
Graduating from Brewster High School, Class of 1973, Dave was proud to be in the top ten of his class of 12. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school, serving from 1974 to 1977, rising to the rank of Corporal E4 in the Correctional Service Company where he earned several marksmanship awards, the Good Conduct Medal and was honorably discharged. His roommates often told him he was “one squared away Marine” because his uniforms always looked impeccable. His goals then were to gain a Bachelor’s Degree and join the Kansas Highway Patrol.
After the military, Dave attended Colby Community College earning a degree in Journalism and a Bachelor’s in Communications from Fort Hays State University. Always an avid runner, he enjoyed running alongside the university track team and with the Hays Area Road Runners. He ran the 1979 KU Relays Marathon and the 1983 Nike OTC marathon with a time of 3:09 and was proud to be the only representative from Kansas. It was while attending college at Fort Hays he met his future wife Mary Alice Yunker. Dave spotted her while “dragging Main” and began talking to her. Later he got her phone number by running down every street in Hays until he found her car then searched for the phone connected to her home address and made the call. She was immediately smitten. Their first date, the following Friday, was at the first basketball sell out game at Gross Memorial Coliseum. On December 4, 1989, Dave and Mary Alice wed in Salina, Kansas.
Dave served as an Ellis County Sheriff’s Deputy from 1985 to 1987 before joining the Kansas Highway Patrol in 1987, where he served for thirty years. Retiring as a Lieutenant in the Patrol, he had been in charge of the Breath Alcohol Unit and for a time the Drug Recognition Unit. He was hired back two months later as a consultant in 2018. Throughout his law enforcement career, he formed many friendships and always considered coworkers as family.
He enjoyed spontaneous coddiwomple road trips with his wife where they tried local cuisine and serenaded one another on long drives. Dave was the life of the party bringing joy and laughter to those around him. He was a brilliant man and a great storyteller. Dave’s knowledge of trivia was uncanny. His quirky sense of humor, fierce protective spirit and loving nature made for many memorable moments with family and friends. Dave was a loyal friend to all and shared his love of life and big heart with those lucky enough to find him in their company.
A dedicated father and grandfather, Dave was the announcer for the Basketball and Football games for Ell- Saline High School from 2004 until 2018. He attended every school program and ball game his three children and grandchildren participated in.
Dave is survived by his wife, Mary Alice; daughters, Lydia Kirchman (Adam), of Salina, Kansas and Elaina Sullivan (Jake), of Wichita, Kansas; son, Andrew Weed of Salina, Kansas; grandchildren, Camille, Josephine, and MacArthur; his mother, Mary Weed of Colby, Kansas; sisters, Susan Focke (Dwight) and Nancy Ohlrogge (David), of Colby, Kansas; and brothers, Charles Weed, of Denver, Colorado, and Michael Weed (Michelle), of Levant, Kansas.
Left to also cherish his memory are brothers-in-law, Robert Yunker, of Salina, Kansas, Charles Yunker, of Tecumseh, Kansas, Mark Yunker (Karen), of Fountain, Colorado, James Yunker (Shirley), of Hays, Kansas, Daniel Yunker (Joan), of Andover, Kansas; three sisters-in-law, Lois Yunker, of Munjor, Kansas, Janice Koshiol, of Hays, Kansas, DeAnn Ricketts of Topeka, Kansas many nieces and nephews, the Kansas Highway Patrol Family, Marine Corps brothers and his best buddy, Skipper, his dog.
Dave was preceded in death by his father, Jack Weed, in-laws, Lydia and Martin Yunker; brothers-in-law, David Yunker, Thomas Yunker, Patrick Koshiol; sister-in-law, Kathy Yunker, and nephew, Matthew Yunker.
Visitation will be held 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Thursday, April 28th at Carlson – Geisendorf Funeral Home & Crematory in Salina, Kansas.
Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am, Friday, April 29th with a rosary and viewing starting at 10:00am at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Salina, Kansas.
Burial to follow with Military Rights and Kansas Highway Patrol Honor Guard at Gypsum Hill Cemetery, Salina, Kansas.
Memorials are suggested to the educational fund for his grandchildren, in care of Carlson-Geisendorf Funeral Home and Crematory, 500 South Ohio, Salina, Kansas 67401.