Gary Weir

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of Guest Investigator Gary Weir on November 15, 2025, in Flagler Beach, Florida.

Gary held a lifelong affection for Woods Hole and spoke often of how profoundly the WHOI community shaped his scholarship, his thinking, and his sense of purpose. For more than three decades, his work as a Guest Investigator with the Marine Policy Center enriched his understanding of oceanography and the vital partnership between scientific discovery and naval history, an area of study he cared for deeply.

Gary leaves behind a legacy not only of books, awards, and historical insight but of moral clarity, curiosity, and love. His life embodied the belief that the pursuit of knowledge is an act of hope, that integrity matters, and that the humanities remain one of the most powerful tools we have for understanding ourselves and each other. In every classroom he entered, every page he wrote, every debate he engaged in, and every moment he shared with his family, Gary lived a life of purpose, depth, and heart. His story endures in the minds he shaped, the histories he revealed, and the people who loved him beyond measure.

He is survived by his wife, Catherine, daughter Lili, his granddaughter Nico, and his sister Linda and is preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Edward Weir, whose early guidance helped shape the scholar and the man he became.

Information for this obituary is from Gary’s family