Maria Weaver retires from Hamilton Herald-News

Friends and family gathered June 12 at the Hamilton Herald-News for a bittersweet retirement celebration for longtime HHN Editor and Co-publisher Maria Weaver. Shown are (from left) HHN team members Jaxon Hansard, Janice Velasquez, Publisher Grant Lengefeld, Weaver and Kim Tyson. Not pictured, Kate Edwards.    Photo by Saundra Lengefeld

HAMILTON – Maria Weaver has retired after 40 years in community journalism, 24 dedicated to the Hamilton Herald-News.

During her career, Weaver has also worked with the Stephenville Empire-Tribune, where she also graduated from Tarleton State University, the Hico News Review, the Wichita Falls Times-Record and the Crowley Eagle.

She also wrote for the Austin American-Statesman before she left Austin for Hamilton, where her long-time affiliation with the Hamilton Herald-News began. Her association led to part-ownership with her husband Jamie and current publisher Grant Lengefeld when owner Kenneth Miller, who suffered terminal cancer, sold the paper in 2014.

Weaver’s husband Jamie died in 2018. She sold her interest in the HHN to Lengefeld in 2020 and remained as editor and co-publisher for six years.

With memories of raising her children and grandchildren in the newspaper business, Weaver said “it’s time for me to write my own stories.”

At her retirement celebration in June, Weaver’s dedication and work in the community were praised by her colleagues and friends of many years.