Who: Family and friends of Kevin Weist were left heartbroken and numb after the Creamtown, Wayne County, resident died April 11 while cutting down a tree on his family’s farm.
Weist is remembered for the love he had for his family — which includes wife Jen and children Mackenzie, Wyatt, Elijah and Paige — and for the farm, which he took over 16 years ago after the death of his father-in-law. Active in the local 4-H with his family, Weist was a familiar sight at the annual Wayne County Fair, where he would help his kids and whomever needed a hand — a graciousness that he showed others even beyond those barns.
As Weist’s family learns to get by without him, they look forward to the closure of holding a proper service for their patriarch after the pandemic.
What: While money cannot lessen the Weist family’s pain, donations will help his widow focus on helping her family move forward without the stress and worry of financial issues. To help, the public can donate through a GoFundMe page, “Coming Together for the Weist Family” or by sending checks payable to Jennifer Weist in care of family friend Kelly Kyzer at 505 Gravity Road, Lake Ariel, PA 18436. The Kevin Weist Children’s Education Fund also has been set up to help his kids, and checks for that cause can be made payable to the fund and sent to any Dime Bank branch.
In her own words: “Jen has already expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the funds that have been raised at this point. She is speechless about the outpouring of love and support they have gotten so far. As she learns to navigate life without Kevin by her side, she will have so many obstacles and hurdles to overcome. I just hope that, as a community, we can ensure that financially it will be one less.” — Kelly Kyzer
Caitlin Heaney West is the content editor for Access NEPA and oversees the Early Access blog in addition to working as a copy editor and staff writer for The Times-Tribune. An award-winning journalist, she is a summa cum laude graduate of Shippensburg University and also earned a master’s degree from Marywood University. Caitlin joined the Times-Shamrock family in 2009 and lives in Scranton. Contact: cwest@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5107; or @cheaneywest
