Spring Fire Bids Farewell to an Irreplaceable Icon
Spring Fire Department volunteer, life member and former Fire Chief Wilbur Waldo “Cotton” Weaver, 93, earned his greatest reward on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. Surrounded by generations of his family, Chief Weaver ascended to heaven to be reunited with his loving wife of 66 years, Barbara Rae, and two of their children.
Photo: Chief W.W. “Cotton” Weaver, April 23, 1980
Chief Weaver met Barbara Rae in 1951 while working at a bakery alongside her mother. He said the very next day he told his future mother-in-law he was going to marry Barbara. They married in 1952 and lived by two basic rules: never say anything you can’t take back and never go to bed angry.
After working at the bakery, he spent a decade working at the Hughes Tool Company and more than three decades working at Cameron Iron. A fire at the Immanuel Church in Spring on February 22, 1953, became another pivotal moment in his life. That fire led to the founding of the Spring Volunteer Fire Department, where Chief Weaver would leave a lifelong legacy.
This Saturday, January 24, 2026, a celebration of Chief Weaver’s life will be held at the Immanuel Church located at 26501 Border Street in Spring. The viewing will begin at 11:00 a.m. followed by a service at 1:00 p.m. and a procession to the gravesite at Rosewood #2 cemetery at 2602 S. Houston Avenue in Humble where Chief Weaver will be laid to rest next to his beloved wife who preceded him in death eight years ago.
Chief Weaver leaves behind daughter, Wilma Loscuito, and husband, Anthony; son Ronald Weaver, and wife, Patty; and son-in-law, Michael McBride. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren.
Cotton, as he was known here in Spring and across the region, led the Spring Fire Department for decades. “His boots will never quite be filled again,” said Spring Fire Chief Scott Seifert.
Photo: Chief Weaver in front of Spring Volunteer Fire Station #1 on September 17, 1977.
“It was my privilege to learn from Cotton and to follow in his footsteps as a Spring Fire Chief,” said Former Chief Alan Lankford. “Cotton may have forgotten more than the rest of us may ever know, but he taught us all what servant leadership means.”
Picture: Chief W.W. “Cotton” Weaver, Chief Frank Arp, Paul Vern, Stanley Lemm, Jim Kelley, David Schneider and Frankie Gonzales outside Station 71 in Old Town Spring on September 17, 1977.
Cotton was a very active life member participating in anniversary events, awards banquets and life member gatherings. He often visited stations and the administration building where he regaled our team on what firefighting was like when he was going into burning buildings in his street clothes with a hose line.
Photo: Chief Weaver and Chief Lankford at the Spring Fire Department’s 2018 Awards Banquet when Chief Weaver received his Life Member pin.
“His pride in this department is unlikely to ever be matched,” said Harris County Emergency Services District Number 7 President Melanie Gander. “The entire Spring Fire family already misses him greatly.”
Photo: In this fleet photo from the 1970s, Chief Weaver is in the khaki pants.
Chief Weaver was not shy about telling people where the nickname, “Cotton” came from. When he was little, he had a full head of curly – nearly white – blonde hair. “I looked like a cotton ball and once they called me that it stuck for the rest of my life.”
For over 70 years Cotton was a fixture at the Spring Fire Department and the Spring Masonic Lodge. He never met a stranger, because strangers were just people he hadn’t had a chance to smile at and laugh and tell stories with. One of his favorite stories was how the fire department used to auction off livestock show cows to put fuel in the trucks.
Photo: Chief Weaver poses with a cow to be auctioned off on May 1, 1969.
Cotton was overjoyed that Spring Fire Department’s new training center will carry his name. He toured the construction site multiple times in 2025, stopping to thank construction workers and tell them how “fantastic” the buildings are and how very, very blessed to know his name be in lights at the entrance.
Photo: Chief Weaver (pointing) in the bucket of Tower 70 at the Spring Fire Department’s 65th anniversary celebration on May 29, 2018.
“We are confident the welcoming party in Heaven was one for the record books,” added Seifert. “He loved the Lord, Barbara Rae, and the family they built most of all, followed closely by the extended family he built at the Spring Fire Department, Spring Masonic Lodge and Cypress Creek EMS.
Picture: Chief Weaver and his sign in 2018.
Chief Weaver’s influence remains, and his spirit burns bright. “While saying goodbye is never easy, it helps knowing he is with our Lord and Savior, beloved members of his family and all the firefighters and medics who have already received their heavenly rewards,” said Seifert. “He will certainly be missed.”