For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Betsy Moss | 804.355.1557 | betsymoss@verizon.net
MOTHER HONORS SON’S SACRIFCE THROUGH ART
The Muscarelle Museum of Art Publishes Book of Artwork Celebrating the
Brilliant Life of William & Mary Alumnus First Lt. Todd Weaver
Williamsburg, Va. (September 8, 2015) –The William & Mary Bookstore, located on
Merchant’s Square, will host artist Jeanne Weaver for a signing of her new book, Losing
Todd: A Mother’s Journey.
The author visit and signing will take place on Saturday, September 12 beginning at
10:00 a.m. The book celebrates the life of her son, First Lt. Todd Weaver, who was killed
in Afghanistan in 2010.
Todd attended Bruton Parish High School, where he excelled in academics, football and
baseball. He was accepted into the College of William & Mary, where he continued to
succeed, graduating in 2008 with Phi Beta Kappa distinction. On September 9, 2010,
Todd sacrificed his life for his country while leading his platoon in the Arghanadab
Valley in Afghanistan. He was twenty-six years old. He left behind a wife — his high
school sweetheart — and a small daughter, along with grieving parents, his siblings and
countless friends.
That same day, Jeanne Weaver closed down her art studio, only to return months later,
ready to channel her pain and grief. She worked for days on end, eventually producing 21
soft, heartrending snapshots of Todd’s life, each based upon the stories and memories of
those who knew him best. In her work, Jeanne Weaver captures a parent’s sorrow over
the loss of a child, chronicling her journey through the series of beautiful oil paintings.
Jeanne Weaver has been married to her husband Donn for forty-five years. She is a
mother of four, a world-traveler and an artist with a special skill for oil painting that she
has honed over the last fifteen years. Todd had two other siblings also attend William &
Mary as a strong College family.
Aaron De Groft, director and CEO of the Muscarelle Museum of Art, said that “the
College of William & Mary lost an immense treasure that September day. Todd Weaver
graduated in the class of 2008. But Todd was not the only William & Mary son to be lost
to the conflicts is Iraq and Afghanistan. Ryan McGlothlin was killed in 2005 while
serving in Iraq. To honor these losses, the College erected a sixth plaque in the historic
Wren Building. Let us all focus our fervent energy that no more names are added to this
plaque and that no more plaques are added to our cherished and noble hall.”
About Losing Todd: A Mother’s Journey
Losing Todd: A Mother’s Journey was published by the Muscarelle Museum of Art and
the College of William & Mary. The book features Jeanne Weaver’s oil paintings, along
with various essays written by Todd’s friends, professors, and military colleagues, along
with former Secretary of Defense and current College of William & Mary chancellor
Robert Gates and College president Taylor Reveley. Together, these paintings, essays and
responses by the community to an on-campus exhibition in 2013, provide a holistic
picture of a bright, brave man who gave his life to protect his country.
Today, the paintings in the book are in Weaver’s personal collection, except for one that
belongs to the President’s Collection at the Muscarelle Museum of Art. It is displayed in
the Earl Gregg Swem Library, serving as a constant reminder of Todd’s vibrant presence
and the impact he made on campus.
The William & Mary Bookstore is operated by Barnes and Noble College Booksellers
and is located at 345 Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg.
About the Muscarelle Museum of Art
The Muscarelle Museum of Art at the College of William & Mary is located on the
grounds of the second oldest and one of the most prestigious colleges in the United
States. It is located at 603 Jamestown Rd in Williamsburg, Va. For more information, call
757-221-2700 or visit muscarelle.org. Follow on Twitter (@Muscarelle), Instagram
(@muscarellemuseum) or on Facebook (Muscarelle Museum of Art)
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