9th Annual Heritage Dinner

Saturday, April 26, starting at 5:30PM
Museum of the Big Bend Cultural Event Center

Honoring the 2025 Museum of the Big Bend Heritage Award inductees, Nathali & Johnny Weisman.

The Weismans have been avid and long-time supporters of the Museum. Johnny and Nathali’s shared commitment to ranching, conservation, and community is evident in everything they do. Their story is one of dedication, love for the land, and a deep desire to give back to the state they call home.

5:30PM: Cocktail Reception
Mediterranean Skewers, Shrimp Skewers, Bruschetta
Open bar with selected wines and beer

7:00PM: Dinner
Sliced Beef Tenderloin Peppercorn Sauce, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus/Green Beans, Green Salad, Warm Rolls, Plated Dessert, Sweet and Unsweet Tea, Coffee Service, Water

Admission to Cocktail Reception & Heritage Dinner
Members: $125  click here to purchase member ticket
Non-members: $150  click here to purchase non-member ticket

Paper tickets will not be issued. Your name and your party names will be on the guest list at the door.

Click here to learn how you can become a member. There are several annual membership levels that help support the Museum of the Big Bend.

About the Weismans

Johnny Weisman, founder of The Flying W Ranch, is a man whose life has been shaped by ranching, farming, and a deep love for the land since day one. His roots trace back to his grandfather, who ran a dairy farm in the Rio Grande Valley, and his father, Bernard, who dreamed of owning a cattle ranch. Bernard moved his family to the New Braunfels/Bulverde area, where he worked as a ranch manager for the Oblate Fathers dairy and ranch. This is where Johnny’s journey began…

As a young boy, Johnny’s life revolved around ranching. From helping with chores around the dairy barn to fixing fences, it was all part of the lifestyle. But Johnny’s determination to help support his family of seven led him to take on more. At just seven years old, he worked the fields on a tractor for 10 cents an hour. By 12, he was working for a local butcher and leasing a few acres to run a few head of cattle. At the age of 16, Johnny recognized an opportunity: by crawling under the fence and operating heavy equipment for road and dam contractors, he could make $1.25 an hour with overtime. This would lay the foundation for what would become his dream. In his 20s, he founded Hunter Industries, and from there, Johnny saw a clear pathway toward his lifelong dream of starting his own ranch.

While Johnny’s journey toward his dream was one of hard work and persistence, the vision for The Flying W Ranch began much earlier—during World War II. Johnny’s father, Bernard, stationed far from home, wrote letters to his wife, Reba, and in those letters, he created his own stationary, marking it with the brand “The Flying W.” Although Bernard’s dream of owning a cattle ranch never came to fruition, he passed that dream on to Johnny, and it lived on in Johnny’s heart for years.

In 1994, Johnny’s perseverance and hard work finally paid off, and The Flying W Ranch was founded in Uvalde, Texas, with the purchase of its first track of land. The dream that Johnny’s father had carried in his heart had now become a reality.

Johnny Weisman’s connection to Far West Texas runs deep, a bond that began in the 1950s when his father ventured out to the region for hunting trips. As Johnny grew older, he joined his father on these adventures, and it was during these trips that the mountains, vast skies, and rugged beauty of Far West Texas became etched into Johnny’s soul. The land captivated him, and he’s been hunting, working, and enjoying that country ever since.

While Johnny expanded his ranching operations in Uvalde, his heart never strayed from Far West Texas and Alpine. In 2007, Johnny, along with his former wife Anne (who passed in 2020), took a significant step in putting down roots in Alpine by purchasing the back portions of the Merriweather Ranch from Kay Merriweather Greene. A few years later, they acquired another portion of land from Kay and Don Greene. Johnny officially acquired the last track and completed the reuniting of the Merriweather Ranch under the Flying W Ranch Flag after his marriage to his now wife, Nathali Weisman, in 2021.

Johnny Weisman is not just a rancher; he is the ultimate sportsman and a true land conservationist at heart. He’s dedicated countless hours, hard work, and resources to bringing the land to life and ensuring its long-term sustainability. Johnny has personally bulldozed 85% of the roads on his ranches and bulldozed the lanes of almost 100% of the fence lines. He has also laid miles of water lines to ensure that all of God’s creatures—wildlife and livestock alike—have access to water, where there was once little, and bring grasslands back to the barren brush country. For Johnny, this work is more than just a responsibility; it is a duty and an honor to care for and nurture the land that has given him so much.

Aligned perfectly with Johnny’s vision and love for the land, his wife, Nathali Weisman, carries with her a deep, rich tradition of cattle ranching. Her family hails from Marietta and Hugo, Oklahoma, where generations of ranchers have worked the land. Nathali’s connection to the land is strengthened by her Native American heritage as a proud citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. Her bloodline runs deep, and the respect for nature, animals, and the earth is embedded in her soul.

Her great-great-great-grandfather, Thomas Parker, was the Chief of the Chickasaw Nation in the late 1800s, following the Trail of Tears. Thomas lived a remarkable life, living to the age of 115, and as the story goes, he passed away after a final ride on his horse to check on the Big Spring. Nathali’s great-grandfather, Daddy Bert, was known for his expertise in cattle and horse trading. He would regularly attend livestock shows in Fort Worth and Dallas and then drive the cattle and horses back over the Red River to his ranch in Marietta, solidifying his reputation as a great trader and rancher.

Some of Nathali’s fondest childhood memories are of visiting her grandfather, Vancel “Buffalo” Parker, on the farm in Hugo, Oklahoma. There, she worked the cattle, rode horses, checked the fence lines, and learned the values of hard work, gun safety, and living in harmony with the land. These moments shaped her deep-rooted love and understanding of ranching, giving her an unshakable connection to the land.

While Nathali’s father, Mike Parker, was a defensive-line football coach at the University of Texas, which brought the family to Round Rock, Texas, and limited the time spent on the ranch, he passed down a deep love for land, space, and nature to Nathali and her siblings.

When Johnny introduced Nathali to Far West Texas, it was love at first sight. Mountains and canyons in TEXAS???! She was captivated by the beauty, and soon, they expanded The Flying W Ranch further south toward Shafter and Presidio, eager to bring their love for land management and conservation to new landscapes.

Together, Johnny and Nathali’s philanthropic efforts are driven by a deep passion for supporting children and fostering a better Texas. They actively support a wide range of organizations, including Community in Schools in New Braunfels, The Cecilia Abbott St Mary’s scholarship, Ducks Unlimited, CCA, Alpine Ranch Rodeo, Austin Livestock Show and Rodeo, San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo, The Heart Galleries of Texas, The Nimitz Museum, The Texas Maritime Museum, Nixon Livestock Show and the Museum of the Big Bend. They are committed to improving the communities around them and ensuring a brighter future for the next generation.

Johnny and Nathali’s shared commitment to ranching, conservation, and community is evident in everything they do. They are both proud graduates of Texas State University, and their story is one of dedication, love for the land, and a deep desire to give back to the state they call home.