Monday June 25^th

Herb Weidinger is the only child of German immigrants who survived the First World War and arrived separately in Chicago in the late 1920's. Despite the economic upheaval of the Great Depression which saw unemployment rise to almost 24%, Herb's father found work as a machinist. As newlyweds, the Weidinger's kept a wary eye on the disturbing changes they saw taking place in German society but did not discuss these issues with their son, who was born in 1936. Herb says that it may be the difficulties they encountered in Germany caused them to be a "closed society" to such an extent that he was preparing for college before he ever learned that his father was sponsored by relatives in Iowa in order to come to America.
     With a degree in economics, a wife and three children, Herb enjoyed a long and successful career in banking and finance. Transferred to Texas in 1967, Herb brought his mother down so that he could continue to help care for her. His wife Beverly was the Librarian at Northlake Community College and Herb was Chair of the Farmers Branch Library Board in the turbulent season during which restricting what books libraries could offer was a hot button topic in communities nationwide. The issue of censorship was brought to the Library Board and City Council when a few citizens complained about certain books in circulation and in a public meeting, the vote to support the library was overwhelming. Following that event, for which Herb was honored by the State of Texas as Library Trustee of the Year, he was encouraged to run for the Farmers Branch City Council.