William Andrew Most

1955 - 2020

William Andrew Most

Carlsbad - William Andrew Most, 64, best known as Wille, died May 8th surrounded by family and friends at his home in Carlsbad after a lengthy illness. The son of Dr. John A. Most and his stepmother Betty Leman Most, Wille was born at the U.S. Naval Air Station of Port Lyautey, Morocco (near Kenitra) on July 23, 1955 where Dr. Most was stationed while serving in the U.S. Navy. The family returned to the US in 1957 and settled in Carlsbad in August 1961. Wille was educated at schools in Boston and Carlsbad before he was enrolled at Cascia Hall Preparatory School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He attended the University of San Diego and received a B.S. in Biology in 1977. Wille became a Peace Corps volunteer following college and served in Columbia as a biologist in the malaria control division for two years. He returned to live in Carlsbad in 1980.

After being employed by Coronado Glass as a glazier (where his proficiency at geometry and skill with a slide rule was treasured), he began working for WIPP in 1984. Wille began his career at the US Department of Energy's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in the warehouse and soon transitioned to environmental compliance where he was principally employed as a permitting specialist. He retired in March 2019 and worked briefly as a consultant before retiring permanently in November 2019.

Golf was one of Wille's great passions and he was a regular fixture on the links in Carlsbad. Some of his greatest adventures involved attending the Masters tournament and later playing on many of the courses. A well-known raconteur, Wille spun tall tales and historical facts with equal amounts of glee and a twinkle in his eye. A talented musician, he played the brass baritone in the Eisenhower Junior High School band and later taught himself to play the classical mandolin, piano, and guitar with great ability and considerable zeal. His voice, which Wille would admit was not his best asset, never stopped him from singing a tune or joining in on a song. Some of his treasured memories included hiking through the countryside of Ireland, and sailing in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia with his friends the Lickliters. An avid outdoorsman, Wille loved to roam the mountains and plains of New Mexico and Colorado and was particularly fond of the Guadalupe mountains. He built his home in Eddy County on a piece of land that had a spectacular view of the desert that he said... "brings me joy every morning."

Wille is survived by his elder brother John Most (wife Jodi and children Jennifer Anne, Andrew, and Jenna) of Laguna Niguel, California; younger siblings Sara Most (and son Graham and his wife Becka) of Springfield, Virginia; brother Gregory P. J. Most of Washington, DC; and sister Ann Most Cross (husband Dan Cross and sons Evan and Michael) of Carlsbad. He is also survived by his much-loved Leman cousins in Colorado with the exception of his best buddy "Denver Dave" Leman. His step-daughter Aubree, her husband David Storrs, and their daughter Madison held a special place in Wille's heart. Madison was the bright star in Wille's life since she was born. Wille had a special knack of developing a circle of amazing, much-loved, and close-knit family of friends. Kenneth and Elizabeth Lickliter helped cared for him in his final days like family. Special thanks to Kay Atwood, Mark Davis and Maryann Mullins for their care during these last days. A memorial service will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution in his name to the charity of your choice.