Emma Weigley, 87, was an educator, author, and lover of city life

For all Emma Weigley’s accomplishments, one of her great joys was watching the fireflies light up Rittenhouse Square on spring and summer evenings.

She loved living in the heart of Philadelphia, discovering new restaurants, browsing flea markets, and mining the city’s cultural riches. As an octogenarian, Ms. Weigley was still walking at least two miles a day.

“My parents didn’t even have a car. They’d just walk everywhere around Philadelphia,” said daughter Catherine. “Every day they’d go exploring new things.”

Ms. Weigley died on Saturday, April 18, of complications from the coronavirus at the St. Monica Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare in South Philadelphia. She had been a resident for more than a year.

Born in Reading to a Pennsylvania Dutch family, Ms. Weigley proudly cooked some of the traditional dishes every Thanksgiving. In 1963, she married Russell Weigley, a renowned military historian, and they fulfilled their mutual dream of moving to Philadelphia.

She earned her PhD in nutrition from New York University and taught at Drexel and Penn.

While living in Philadelphia, Ms. Weigley commuted to Manhattan, where she earned her Ph.D. in nutrition from New York University. For decades, she taught nutrition at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania. She published many articles in scholarly journals and authored a well-regarded biography of Sarah Tyson Rorer, often considered to be America’s first dietitian.

Ms. Weigley was a subscriber to the Philadelphia Orchestra, a congregant of the First Unitarian Church, and a member of a Sherlock Holmes aficionado group, the Baker Street Irregulars.

Russell Weigley, who died in 2004, traveled with his wife a great deal, especially on cruises. After his death, Ms. Weigley continued to visit faraway places.

“She wanted to see the world,” her daughter said.

Even into her 80s, Ms. Weigley remained game to try new cuisines. Her favorite Philadelphia restaurant was Fork. It was her standby every year for her birthday and Mother’s Day.

In addition to her daughter, Ms. Weigley is survived by son Jared.

A memorial service is to be held later.

— Rita Giordano