Leusink, William J 1985-2006

LEUSINK, DEJAGER

Posted By: Janet Bosler - Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/2/2013 at 18:22:32

Sioux Center News May 31, 2006

Born: 2-23-1985
Died: 5-22-2006

Lance Corporal William J. "BJay" Leusink, 21, of Honolulu, Hawaii, formerly of Maurice, died Monday May 22, in Haqlaniyah, Iraq.

Funeral services were Tuesday, May 30 at 1pm at the Sioux Center Community High School Gymnasium in Sioux Center, with the Rev. Wayne Sneller officiating. Interment was at Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center. Full military honors will be provided by Inspector-Instructor Staff Omaha Nebraska: Engineer Maintenance Company 4th Maintenance Battalion Omaha, NE.

William Jay Leusink, known as "B Jay" by his family and friends, was born in Orange City on February 23, 1985, to Bill and Elaine (Drost) Leusink. He was raised on the family farm northwest of Maurice. He attended school in Sioux Center, graduating from Sioux Center Community High School with the Class of 2003. He was very active in school, at church and within in the community. While attending Sioux Center Community High School, he was a member of the football team, wrestling team, band, choir and also FFA, where he was an officer his senior year. He was a member of Maurice First Reformed and where he participated in the youth group. He also loved helping out in the nursery at church. He was a member of the Sioux Stockmen 4-H club and was Sioux County Ambassador his senior year of high school. He loved to hunt and fish and was especially fond of boogie boarding on the shores of Hawaii. On October 16, 2004 he married his high school sweetheart, Miranda De Jager.

His heart went to the military after 9/11. He believed with all his heart that he could help change the world. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in August of 2002 and reported for boot camp on July 29, 2003, after graduating from high school. Through the Marine Corps, he saw California, Virginia, Hawaii (where he and his wife were stationed), Australia, Afghanistan and finally Iraq. He died loving what he did and believing strongly in the cause that he was fighting for. He felt God had given him the strength to help protect people and that is what he wads supposed to do.

Survivors include his wife, Miranda Leusink of Honolulu; his parents, Bill and Elaine Leusink of Maurice; his sister, Abby Leusink and her fiance Clint Sheppard of Hiawatha; his brother, Cody Leusink, and sister, Katie Leusink, at home; his mother-in-law, Stephanie Ranum of Chaska, Minnesota; his father and mother-in-law, Rick and Carolyn De Jager of Yankton, South Dakota; grandmothers, Nell Drost of Orange City and Tena Leusink of Sioux Center; several uncles, aunts and cousins on both the Drost and Leusink sides of the family.

In lieu of flowers, the Leusink family requests memorials be directed to the family or the Young Marines at Young Marines National Headquarters, P.O. Box 70735, Southwest Station, Washington, DC 20024-0735