Andrew Kelly Wieting

Andrew Kelly Wieting
On August 21, 2010 we lost a very special young man. Andrew Wieting was 19 years old when he died in Simi Valley, California. He was a man of many talents and great intelligence, and he was treasured as a son, brother, grandson, cousin, nephew, and a friend. He was born in Munich, Germany on January 6, 1991 and he lived in Camarillo, CA from the age of 2 until the age of 12 when he moved to Charlotte. Andrew graduated in 2009 from Providence High School in Charlotte at the top of his class. He attended Phillip O. Berry High School Technical Academy until his sophomore year before moving to Providence High School with honors. 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 the 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 work, 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 took initiative 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. He was constantly aware of what was going on around him. No job was too hard or too much trouble. And 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 spending time in the garden with his mom and his brothers. His hobbies included Jeep 4X4'ing, cross-country and down hill skiing, and hiking with the Sierra Club. Always loving the outdoors whether he was swimming, playing waterpolo, running, or working out, he always found peace outside.
He leaves behind his mother, Suzanne Wieting; father, Robert Wieting; step-father, Jan Svoboda; two brothers, Karl and David Svoboda; and countless friends. His family asks that anyone wishing to remember Andrew make a donation in his name to the Levine Children's Hospital.