The Weiser family

Brothers’ love for agriculture continues through years

More than 125 years after 18-year-old John Weiser first settled in Cypress from Bohemia, Germany, surviving members of the family carry on the Weiser name, keeping a part of history alive and well.

According to the 1920 Census, John Weiser’s great–great–grandson, Robert, first moved to the family’s present homestead off Huffmeister Road in 1941. Robert Weiser had two sons—Cecil and Robert, Jr.—who were active 4–H and FFA members. From a young age, the brothers entered their dairy cows into competitions and won several awards.

The brothers acquired Jackson Airport in 1951—renaming it Weiser Air Park—to serve as a location to raise their award-winning cattle. Today, the facility provides a runway to individual private and corporate jet owners and lessons in flight, but a majority of the land is still used to raise some of the Weiser’s cattle.

Two flight schools continue to operate out of the airpark, offering customers fixed wing training, aircraft rentals and multi-engine training.

“It’s a friendly little place,” Cecil Weiser told “ThisWeek” in the mid-1980s. “Just one big family. One man told me he drives past two other airports to use this one because it’s such a friendly place.”

By 1963, the Weisers had built additional hangars to combine airport traffic with their working dairy farm, and in the mid–1980s, paved the 3,490-foot runway to operate more than 80 planes. Now, about 70 planes are based at the airpark full time, and somewhere around 20 cows typically graze near the trees off Huffmeister Road.

Norman Bird—a retired banker—began helping out at the airpark about 30 years ago as a personal favor to Cecil Weiser.

“Cecil doesn’t have a payroll,” Bird said. “He doesn’t keep employees. We do it out of friendship. It’s a close group here. If somebody needs help, everyone chips in and does it.”

Cecil Weiser, who celebrated his 85th birthday last month, is an avid supporter of local FFA chapters and Veterans of Foreign Wars as well as an active member of the community, Bird said. On most days, he can be found tending the land. Acquaintances of the Weisers and volunteers help maintain the airpark daily.