Dr. Joseph Robert Weyers

Dr. Joseph Robert Weyers, peacefully passed away at his home Monday morning, June 10, 2024 after a short and valiant battle with esophageal cancer. His Memorial Service will be held 2:00 PM Thursday, June, 27, 2024 at Grace Cathedral, 98 Wentworth Street in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. For those unable to join us, please do so virtually via livestream at the Church’s YouTube channel @GraceChurchChrlstn. Select “Playlists” and then “Funerals”.

Joseph was born March 9, 1965 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the second child of Robert and Louise Weyers. After graduating from Bethel Park High School, he earned his Bachelors degree from Allegheny College, Masters degree from the University of New Mexico, and his PhD from UNM in 1995 in Romance Linguistics. In this same year, he arrived at the College of Charleston in South Carolina to begin his career teaching Spanish language, culture, and linguistics. He's been a stalwart defender of learning second (or third or fourth!) languages as the path to understanding other cultures and truly being a global citizen. A lover of Latin America, but especially Mexico and Colombia, one of his missions was to dispel stereotypes and to show the beauty of these cultures to his students.

He served his department in many functions, including department chair from 2005-2010. In 2009, through a grant from the US Department of Education, he and Dr. Rene Dentiste Mueller created the Global Scholars program to promote global citizenship through the study of language and study abroad. More recently in 2023, he revived the South Carolina chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, of which he was the president.

As a scholar, Joe left a profound mark on Spanish linguistics. He averaged an article per year throughout his career. His research has been cited nearly 600 times, and a piece published in 2002, "The Effect of Authentic Video on Communicative Competence" comprises 357 of those mentions. He has one publication forthcoming in a premier venue in his field, Hispania, titled, “A postcards approach to addressing culture.”

To his Hispanic Studies family and his hundreds of students, he was more than a colleague or professor. He was a mentor who used his time, energy and wisdom to nurture, support, share ideas and listen. He was a friend who could be counted on to share a laugh or help make difficult decisions. He changed many lives.

Joseph was an avid traveler, proud Papi, and talented chef. His wanderlust was insatiable. In his 25 years with husband Michael, they toured 41 states and 18 countries, focusing on the natural beauty of national parks, and cultures of everyday neighborhoods off of beaten tourist paths. Joe was always experimenting with and refining dishes of Mexican, southwestern, South American, and Italian origins, eager to share with family and friends. He was a passionate advocate of animal adoption, parenting eight “pup kids” over the last 30 years. When he wasn’t adopting his own pups, he was convincing family and friends to do so.

Joseph is survived by his partner of 25 years and husband of nine years, Michael Turner. He is also survived by father, Robert Weyers; sister, Cynthia Field (Mark); mother-in-law, Shirley Turner; sisters-in-law, Bonnie Jones and Karen Hawkins (Philip); brother-in-law William (Manuel); nieces, Chloe Field, Courtney Whitt, (Devon) and Bentley Breaux (Thomas); nephews, Joshua Field (Samantha), Jeremy Jones (Jordan) and Christopher Hawkins; pup kids Diego, Bruno, and Hazel, and many other cherished relatives and friends. Joseph was predeceased by his grandparents, his mother Louise Gravant Weyers, and father-in-law Lewis Turner.

Our family sincerely thanks Joe’s team at Charleston Oncology, and the compassionate staff of Roper Hospice, who supported us and cared for our beloved Joseph with love and dignity. In lieu of flowers, Joseph specifically requested those who wish to honor him to do some or all the following. Open your heart and home to adopt an animal who will love you unconditionally. Donate to the Charleston Animal Society, or to your local animal shelter to further their missions. Leave your worries behind and take your loved ones to explore some place new. Life is too short to stay at home.

Arrangements by JAMES A. MCALISTER, INC. (843) 766-1365.