Former Urbana Mayor, Longtime Legislator Dies

Oil Can, The, First Quarter 2004 by Bloomer, J Philip

Stanley B. Weaver, 78, a longtime Republican state senator and former mayor of Urbana, died November 11. Sometimes called "Landslide Stan" for his invincibility at the polls, Weaver was elected mayor of Urbana three times, the first in 1956; he served one term as a state representative and 10 as a state senator, announcing his retirement in December 2001.

Born in Harrisburg on May 23, 1925, Weaver attended Urbana schools, where he played football at Urbana High School and graduated in 1943. He went to Michigan State and the University of Illinois, and graduated from the Indiana College of Mortuary Science.

He served in the Army Air Force during World War II in the Pacific, earning five battle stars. He was a member of the crew that flew peace delegates to the Tokyo ceremonies ending the war.

For most of his Senate career, Weaver was the ranking Republican on the Senate Rules Committee, gatekeeper of what got voted on and what didn't. Politicians from both sides of the aisle, lobbyists of every stripe and friendly newspaper reporters knew their way to his office.

Several people remarked on the timing of Weaver's death, just days before the UI Board of Trustees voted on whether to retire Chief Illiniwek.

Winkel sponsored in the House and Weaver in the Senate the bill that would have bound the UI to maintain Chief Illiniwek. It passed both chambers overwhelmingly, but then-Gov. Jim Edgar changed the wording to give trustees the authority to retire the chief.

(from obituary written by J. Philip Bloomer, News-Gazette)