Rocketry Planet

MOORPARK, California USA — On August 21, 2010 we lost a very special young man. Andrew Kelly Wieting was 19 years old when he died in Moorpark, California. He was a man of many talents and great intelligence, and he was treasured as a son, a brother, a grandson, a cousin, a nephew and a friend.

Andrew Weiting was a certified Level 1 member of the Rocketry Organization of California.

He was born in Munich, Germany on January 6, 1991 and he lived in Simi Valley, and Camarillo, CA from the age of 2 until the age of 12 when he moved to Charlotte, N.C. He attended Phillip O. Berry High School Technical Academy until his sophomore year, and then went on to graduate from Providence High School in the top 10 of his class in 2009.

Andrew moved to California after graduating from high school to attend California State University Northridge where he was majoring in Chemistry and Physics, and working on a project about Rapid Sequencing of Individual DNA Molecules in Graphene Nanogaps at The Postma Lab at CSUN.

He also participated in a summer research program at Caltech and made significant contributions during two summers at Stion Corp.

Andrew lived his life fully every single day. He loved math and science, loved to try to figure out how things worked, and why. His ability to focus fully on a project or an issue was steely and determined; he would not give up until he figured it out. And that's how he felt about his friends. He kept them close, valued them, and helped them – always.

Andrew didn't know how to say "no" to his friends, he volunteered to help those who asked, and he also volunteered to help those who didn't know they needed help. He would see neighbors working hard in their yards and would always come over and ask if they needed some help; sometimes he wouldn't ask, he'd just pitch in and help finish the job.

He tutored younger students in his neighborhood and shoveled snow on steep driveways for older neighbors. His sensitivity to the needs of others was intuitive and always in the "on" position. Andrew was constantly aware of what was going on around him. No job was too hard or too much trouble. His smile was always there for everyone.

His love for life branched into his love of music. He decided one day to play the violin, and he did. He studied with David Strasburg of the Charlotte Symphony.

One of his favorite things to do with his dad was amateur rocketry. He was a certified Level 1 member of ROC (Rocketry Organization of California). He also enjoyed Jeep 4x4'ing, cross country and downhill skiing, hiking with the Sierra Club and countless detailed discussions with his dad about molecules.

He enjoyed spending time in the garden with his mom and brothers. Always loving the outdoors whether he was hiking, swimming, playing water polo, running or working out, he always found peace outside.

He leaves behind his mother, Suzanne Wieting; father, Robert Wieting; stepfather, Jan Svoboda; stepmother, Alicia Wieting; grandmother, Madge Kelly; brothers, Karl and David Svoboda, Aaron Wieting; sister, Zoe Wieting; and countless family members and friends. He was preceded in death by grandfather Stillman Kelly and grandparents George and Esther Wieting.

His family asks that anyone wishing to remember Andrew make a donation in his name to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

A memorial service will take place Aug. 27 at 10:30AM at All Saints Church, 132 North Euclid Ave, Pasadena, California. Graveside services are scheduled for 3:00PM at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California.

Copyright © 2010, The Downey Patriot.