October 13, 2016
Peter M. Weiblen: A PC love affair that worked both ways
By CHARLES C. JOYCE
For a person with an expansive array of hobbies and interests, Peter M. Weiblen always held a special place in his heart for Providence College.
Pete’s work during a 28-year career in the Department of Information Technology was more of a vocation, as attested by the helpful, energetic, and affable demeanor he displayed going from office to office to repair computers and bring relief to grateful colleagues. When not “on the job,” he could be seen working out in the Concannon Fitness Center or running across campus. PC, indeed, was a cherished home to him.
When Pete was diagnosed with ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in 2014, the PC “family” he often raved about supported him immediately and unconditionally. And, in his final moments of life, that family was with him as well.
Pete died on March 24, 2016, in the Narragansett, R.I., home he shared with PC information technology colleague Daniel L. Byron ’88SCE and in the company of his family and beloved PC friends.
It was the combination of the nature of his work and his dedicated, fun-loving spirit that endeared Pete to the College community over time. Pete began working at the College as a microcomputer technical support coordinator in 1987 at a time when IBM personal computers and floppy disks were cutting edge. He became desktop support specialist in 2005 and remained with the College until October 2015, when he left because of his illness.
His job regularly put him in contact with administrators, faculty, and staff. His skill and care were apparent to those he helped. In 1995, he was honored by the Department of Athletics’ Sports Medicine staff with an award of appreciation. In 2015, the Global Sustainable Aid Project named a computer room in an internet café in a rural Ghana community in his honor. Pete had worked with Dr. Stephen J. Mecca ’64 & ’66G, professor of physics, who has worked to meet the health and educational needs of citizens in the West African nation for years, to facilitate the donation of used computers.
When Pete’s health began to decline and he began to have trouble walking in 2013, members of the College community took notice. He was diagnosed with ALS in April 2014. That fall, administrators, faculty, staff, and students filled the Slavin Center lawn in large part in tribute to Pete and participated in the ALS Association’s Ice Bucket Challenge. Pete, to no one’s surprise, not only showed up but had two colleagues pour a 48-quarter cooler of water over him.
“This place is like a family. It is amazing. People are concerned. I’ve gotten cards from people. It’s very humbling and sort of overwhelming,” said Pete in October 2014.
As the effects of ALS continued to hinder Pete, a small group of colleagues stepped in and began providing care for him on a regular basis — helping him eat and get dressed, seeing that he was comfortable, and simply keeping him company. As word of his condition spread, other members of the College community reached out to support him as well. Colleagues and friends prepared meals; sent cards, notes, and flowers; dropped in for visits, and expressed concern in other ways.
The individual and small-group acts of kindness were supplemented by larger social gatherings of the College community that also buoyed Pete’s spirits. There were get-togethers at local restaurants, including an outing to watch a Patriots’ game, a cookout at his home in Narragansett, and a 50th birthday dinner celebration. In the summer of 2015, a large corps of PC supporters and friends attended a special evening dedicated to ALS awareness at a Pawtucket Red Sox game, when Pete was wheeled out on the field for the ceremonial first pitch.
“There were buckets and buckets of love,” said Mary Ann Dailey ’05SCE & ’12G, payroll manager and financial services system coordinator. “You just have to know what that did to Pete. He’d say,‘What did I ever do to deserve this?’ He didn’t realize the impact he had on people lives. It was so overwhelming to him.
“The support made his life. He didn’t have a spouse or children. It filled a hole for him.”
Dailey and other colleagues said that one constant about Pete was his genuine interest in PC and his friends, which became more acute after he left the College.
“We were amazed at how he would always ask about something we talked about the week before,” said Diane Smith-Wilks ’97G, director of technology resources. “How did he have the strength to even care? Visiting with Pete was not like visiting with someone ill, as strange as that sounds.”
Lucille Tomaselli Calore ’95SCE & ’01G, associate dean of enrollment services, said Pete would not let his illness and physical deterioration get in the way of visits from friends and agreed that he had an extraordinary memory.
“He never put his needs first,” she said. “I remember telling him that my car was going to be paid off in February, and I was about to make the last payment. Well, when I went to visit him the next week, the first thing he asked me was ‘How does it feel to own your car and have no payments?’ I couldn’t believe he remembered something as insignificant as that.”
Calore remembered Pete asking about her workout schedule, and when she said she had missed a workout, he was supportive and told her she would get back on track.
“I never, ever felt depressed after I left Pete,” she said. “I think he helped me out more than I helped him. I always experienced a sense of comfort while I was there, and after I left. I think it was his genuine good nature and interest in others besides himself.”
Pete grew up in Avon, Conn., and attended Avon High School, where he wrestled and ran cross country. He was a fitness buff, and in his earlier years at PC he would rise at 3 a.m. to work out before beginning his day’s work “because I hated to go to the gym, and I hate waiting for things,” he said. Before his illness, he ran three to five miles a day, worked out on the equipment in the Concannon Fitness Center, and took exercise classes.
Pete had many other interests. He was a fervent blood donor, donating more than 100 pints of blood. He also was a fan of NASCAR racing and loved animals — especially cats and stray animals. He was a food and music enthusiast, and he loved to watch The Big Bang Theory TV show.
More than 100 members of the College community, as well as family members and other friends, turned out at a Celebration of Life for Pete at the Carriage Inn in North Kingstown, R.I., on April 1. A day earlier, a memorial Mass was held in St. Dominic Chapel on campus for the intentions of Pete and one of his colleagues, Rebecca L. Ramos, former assistant vice president for information technology, who died of ALS on March 26, 2015.
