Thomas Lee Weet, 85, died on May 11, 2026 after a long illness. He was born on September 9, 1940, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Like many Pittsburghers, he remained deeply devoted to his hometown and returned often over the years. His stories of exploring the city as a boy with his friends became part of family lore.

Tom’s father left the family when he was very young, and he was raised by his mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. He shared a particularly close bond with his grandmother and often recalled the weekly boxes of homemade cookies she sent him while he was in college.

Tom began working at the age of thirteen, delivering newspapers twice a day. In high school he worked after school as an office assistant for a U.S. congressman. Summers were spent digging ditches for Equitable Gas Company, and during college he bussed tables to help pay his tuition. After graduating, he helped support his younger sister through nursing school.

He was the first in his family to attend college and graduated third in his class from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in engineering metallurgy. After working for several years in the steel industry in Pittsburgh and Chicago, Tom discovered a passion for psychology. He went on to earn a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Kentucky and became a respected and much-loved therapist in both private practice and public settings. Near the end of his career, he served as a leadership consultant for the CIA – work he found both fascinating and meaningful.

He approached life with enthusiasm and curiosity, pursuing a wide range of interests. In college, he joined a caving club and developed a lifelong love of music, especially jazz and classical. An avid bicyclist and runner, he and his wife, Thayer Cory, traveled widely, biking and hiking throughout Europe, including along the Camino de Santiago. Switzerland held a special place in Tom’s heart and he took his children and their partners there one memorable summer.

For many years, Tom cultivated orchids, eventually filling a greenhouse with more than 400 plants. He served as president of the Orchid Society of Virginia and shared his knowledge generously. He read deeply in ancient and medieval history, was fascinated by archaeology, and loved visiting museums. In the kitchen, he was an inventive bread baker, and also learned to cook Chinese and Indian food, which his children always requested for their birthdays. He was the author of A Walk Through Colonial History and The Williamsburg Bicycling Guide. He will be remembered for his infectious laugh and exuberant spirit.

Tom was predeceased by his mother, Laverne R. Learn; his stepfather, Harry S. Learn; his father, Leo J. Weet; and his former wife, Connie R. Weet. He is survived by his wife, Thayer Cory; his sons, Josh R. Weet (Azure) and Vikram L. Weet (Emily Skelton); his stepchildren, Anna R. Cory-Watson (Gregory Costello) and Damon T. Cory-Watson (Sara Brigham); eight grandchildren: Olivia, Quintin, Annabelle, Sawyer, Roland, Olly, Desmond, and Simone.; and his sister, Linda McGaw (Robert McGaw).

Williamsburg Friends Meeting will host a Quaker memorial service at 2:00 pm on May 31st at The Unitarian Universalist Church, 3051 Ironbound Road, Williamsburg, VA.  A Zoom link is available.