Memorial Service for Student Whitney Watson

Sunday, Jan. 10, 4 p.m. in the Howard Center

UPDATE (Jan. 4): A memorial service honoring the life of Whitney Watson will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, January 10, at the Howard Performing Arts Center on the campus of Andrews University. 

We are very sad to announce the death of one of our valued students. The message below is shared with you from the family:

Marilene and James Watson’s beloved 18-year old daughter Whitney died on December 15 on Mt. Whitney in California. The family spent the weekend in Mammoth and enjoyed some skiing. Whitney, who started skiing at 22 months of age, was the best skier and snowboarder of the family. On Monday, her mother Marilene returned to work in Los Angeles, and she and her father set out to climb Mt. Whitney. That night they camped at 10,000 feet, which is the same elevation where they often ate lunch during a day of skiing. On Tuesday morning, she did not wake up.

Whitney was a beautiful, talented, always-smiling Christian young woman, who loved and was loved by all her teachers, friends and family. A sophomore at Andrews University, she was double majoring in math and viola and planned to follow in older sister WayAnne’s footsteps toward a career in medicine.

Our beloved Whitney—daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend—is asleep in Jesus. Our hearts are broken and our grief is excruciating beyond words. We thank you all for your outpouring of love during this time of unthinkable loss; we very much need and appreciate your prayers. 

As a campus we grieve with Whitney's family for the loss of a talented and greatly loved young woman. Please join us in praying for comfort for all those impacted by this huge loss.

In her memory and honor, an informal gathering will take place in the Campus MInistries office, located in the Campus Center, on Sabbath, Dec. 19, at 5 p.m. Join faculty, staff and students in sharing their loving memories and supporting one another as we grieve the loss of our beloved student, Whitney.

Whitney's memorial service will be held on Sunday, Dec. 27, at 11 a.m., at the Los Angeles Chinese SDA Church, 3000 W. Ramona Rd, Alhambra, California. An event at Andrews University will be planned in January upon the return of our students and staff to the campus.

Condolences may be sent to her family at the following address:

1052 N Kenter Ave
Los Angeles CA 90049