As an appropriate send-off for a man who made such an impact on the staff at Moravian Village of Bethlehem, up until his very last days, former resident Rev. John Weiler will have a painting dedication ceremony and birthday celebration in his honor at the Healthcare Center at Moravian Village on what would have been his 100th birthday.

The painting was donated to Moravian Village by the Weiler family, as per the wishes that Rev. Weiler included in his will. The painting depicts Rev. Weiler and his wife Eleanor standing in front of one of the historical buildings in the Colonial Industrial Quarter of Historic Bethlehem. In the painting, the Weilers are in full Colonial Era costume while serving as tour guides for Downtown Historic Bethlehem. Rev. Weiler commissioned an artist in 1992 to capture this fond memory that he enjoyed and shared with his wife. Moravian Village will hang the painting in the living room of the Healthcare Center at Moravian Village for all to see and feel the Weilers’ presence.

Paul Weiler, Rev. Weiler’s son, remembers his mom and dad being among the first residents of the Moravian Village apartments, even before they were finished being constructed. After six or seven years of enjoying life in the Independent Living apartments at Moravian Village, Eleanor became ill and moved to the Healthcare Center located on campus, while John stayed in the apartments. After his wife passed away and upon suffering a heart attack a few years later, John moved to the Healthcare Center.

Rev. Weiler’s son vividly remembers being awestruck by the constant parade of nurses and aides visiting his dad during the time of his illnesses. Even staff that no longer worked at Moravian Village would come to let him know they were thinking about him.

A World War II veteran, and a longtime pastor and counselor, Rev. Weiler had a way with the employees that, although the staff helped him in so many ways, he helped them just the same or more.

“I didn’t really realize how much of an impact he made in that place,” Paul Weiler said of his dad, who passed away in the Healthcare Center at Moravian Village just two months ago at 99 years old. “I think they miss him just as much as we do.”

Paul talked about all that his dad had gone through in World War II and with his illnesses, which included seven weeks of being isolated by himself while recovering from Covid-19 while in the Healthcare Center.

“What really impressed me is that he had a quiet strength about him,” Paul Weiler said. “He would go through stuff and he never complained about it.”

Rev. Weiler’s daughter remembers her dad as being very wise, very kind, innocent at heart, and a helper in the community.

“He’s my hero,” Mary McConnell said. “He always saw the best in everybody.”

Rev. Weiler’s grandson, Chris Weiler, couldn’t agree more.

“He impacted just about anybody who interacted with him,” the younger Weiler said. “He was able to help people because he was a good listener. He was quite the talker, but he was an even better listener.”

In looking back at Rev. Weiler’s time at Moravian Village of Bethlehem, both in the Independent Living apartments and in the Healthcare Center, Mary McConnell has comfort in knowing the mark that her dad made as a resident of the Moravian Village community.

“He made a good impact.”