Two young men, one from Goleta, Calif. and one from Grand Rapids, Mich. died Sunday night after they swerved to avoid hitting a coyote on Interstate 10 about 1.5 miles east of Frontage Road in Coachella.
William Jae Wiersma was a joy to those who knew him.
A confident, articulate young man who recognized that God had given him gifts that were nurtured by his wonderful God fearing parents, encouraged by a loving and gentle sister and challenged to live life to the fullest by the God that created him.
Those who knew William and know the Lord live confidently in the knowledge that he now in heaven with his Savior Jesus Christ ..... waiting for those he loved to join him - one day - in heaven.
Our prayers are with the family of Douglas Cameron Baker, as well as the others who were involved in this tragic accident.
Will was a joyful Christian and his faith was integrated with the skills he used to be a gifted student, an accomplished traveler and a loyal friend in addition to being an avid collaborator. He understood that although challenging, collaboration yields benefits by preserving individual ideas while combining and expanding them to create the most effective actions, decisions or results. The process requires considerable skill and a liberal arts setting like the one at Westmont and Oxford encourages and hones collaborative thinking. The William Wiersma Memorial Scholarship will provide need- and merit-based funds to incoming freshmen at Westmont and the hope is that they too will grow to exhibit an innovative and collaborative life.
William Jae Wiersma graduated from Westmont College in 2006 after spending his senior year studying at Oxford University in England. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Political Science / International Affiars.
William “Wheels” Wiersma was an accomplished Ultimate Frisbee player. He played Ultimate in Grand Rapids, Michigan, his home. He captained Westmont’s Bandiccots to a regional berth in Colorado Springs in 2004. He helped take Oxford’s OW! to the Division 1 University playoffs in Cardiff, Wales in the spring of 2006 — and he helped the Gendors emerge from the Regional Tournament in Phoenix in the fall of 2006.
Will died in a tragic automobile accident on October 1, 2006 returning from an Ultimate Frisbee Tournament in Phoenix. Late in 2007, a scholarship was set up by his parents at Westmont College to honor the principles of collaboration for which Will stood.