Marvin D. Weber, 80, Print Digital Owner, Past Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce President

and his wife, Harriet, purchased a Kwik Kopy Printing franchise and opened a store in a Stow strip mall in 1984.

 The business evolved from a neighborhood copy shop to a full-service commercial printing business, which has operated as Print Digital Inc. for the last 10 years.

 Weber never retired from the family-operated business.

 “As he got older, it was harder for him to get around, but he insisted on coming in to work,” said his daughter-in-law Lauran. “He came in the last day of the year. He and Eric (his son) met to do year-end closeouts.”

 The Stow resident went home at lunchtime on Dec. 3 then died that evening of a massive heart attack, at age 80.

 Before settling in Stow, Weber lived in Quincy, IL, where he worked for Electric Wheel Co., which became part of Firestone’s Steel Products Division. When the Quincy company was sold in 1982, Firestone kept Weber and others employed by transferring them to jobs in Akron .

 Weber immediately embraced his newly adopted hometown. He did not return to Quincy when he retired two years later.

 “When he retired, he was still a fairly young man, not ready to retire completely,” his daughter-in-law said. “He and Harriet embarked on a whole new career and set up their business.”

 Weber also strengthened his ties with the community as a member of the Stow-Munroe Falls Chamber of Commerce, Stow-Munroe Falls Rotary Club and Stow Republican Club.

 While serving as Chamber president, Weber helped initiate the first Stow-Munroe Falls Community Showcase, an exposition where the public can learn more about local businesses.

 He had a perfect attendance record with the Rotary. Whenever he was on vacation or out-of-town for other reasons, he found a local Rotary meeting to attend.

 Weber, the elder of two siblings, was born Jan. 20, 1930, in Ackley, IA, to Reuben and Hattie Janssen Weber.

As a youngster with a newspaper route, Weber dreamed of enrolling at Elmhurst College in Illinois and becoming a United Church of Christ minister. 

 His career path changed when the newspaper he worked for – Des Moines Register — awarded him a full scholarship to Iowa State University. He went into engineering.

 After graduating with a general engineering degree in 1951, he received an ROTC commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the Army. He was sent to West Germany, where he served as commander of a unit that built bridges that had been demolished during World War II.

 Following his discharge, Weber took a job with Electric Wheel and worked on international standards for the agricultural wheel and tire industry.  During work-related trips to West Germany, he sometimes visited sites where he helped build bridges. Many are still standing.

 Weber’s heart for Christian ministry also remained strong. He joined a church in Quincy, where he met Harriet Lampe, a schoolteacher, who would become his wife.

 “They met and were engaged six to eight weeks later,” their daughter-in-law said.

 They were married in 1956. After moving to Stow, they helped found Praise Fellowship Church, according to the family.

In the late 1990s, they joined Hudson Community Chapel. Weber became involved with the church’s Sojourners Group and served as an usher.

 His wife, who was a talented artist, died in 2003. Many of her paintings and carvings are on display at Print Digital.

 Weber is survived by his sons, Tim (Michelle) of Mascoutah, IL, and Eric (Lauran) of Bath; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and his sister, Verlyn (Robert) Dentel of Arizona.

 Services were held at in Stow.