Willie Kersjes " Flying Dutchman"

[Kristi Ellison]

I have spent the last 2 days verifying this before I posted it since the death date and spelling are wrong, Willie died on 30 July 08. I have no other details. I will miss this man I have known him since I was a kid. I have enjoyed so many conversations with him over the past few years at the USTS races. He was a kind man and a huge race fan and he was a great racer in his day.

God Speed Willie!!

[Tim Small]

The Flying Dutchman

I will miss Willie as well. I always sat with him in his motorhome talking about everything from boat racing to business. I know he had a bad cold in Depue and could not breath very well. I told him to be careful to not catch pnuemonia. He did not look well the last couple of days at the nationals. Willie loved PRO racing and especially the USTS races. I always put a chair out for Willie at my trailer. He was looking forward to the Worlds and was even sponsoring his favorite class, 500 RUNABOUT. I know he will be there in spirit. Rest in Peace Willie

[RLR]

Rest easy Willie

I will miss my bear hugs from Willie! He always sought me out at Constantine and that at Depue we would sit and visit while testing was going on. He was a constant standing right behind me at Depue, arms slung over the fence as he watched with interest whatever was going on.

I for one will miss him and hope that his family is well, they are in our prayers.

Ray

[Fast Jack]

Sad to hear

I always enjoyed his storys and had dinner with him at Ocoee this spring. He purchased one of the tee shirts My son was selling and had it on the next day. A great Guy and a LOSS to all of boat racing . Shawn

[David Weaver]

Willie RIP

Wow, what an unexpected loss. I am glad that after many years of saying hello to Willie that I spent some time really speaking to him at Constantine and the Nationals. What a wonderfully pleasant person and a real racing fan. I will miss seeing Willie at brakfast each morning at Constantine.

[aojesus]

Willie

If you go to mem.com and search Kersjes it will take you to his memory page.
On that page you can sign a guest book and look at pictures and a very nice slide show.

Fare Thee Well My Friend!

[F-111]

We'll miss Willie greatly, he was usually one of the first ones we would see pulling into Constantine. I really got to know Willie well over the years and always enjoyed talking to him, he was quite a character. We'll miss you Willie, see you on the other side.

[jwmaddrell]

i was so sorry to read of willys death. he was a good friend and a good friend of outboard racing. we had many good discussions of racing and of the financial markets. several years ago he said he the way he beat the high cost of energy was he bought the energy stocks and took the dividends(ie. the canadian oil trusts) he recently bought a new motor home and new fishing boat which he was very proud of. the picture attached is on i took in 07 at lake wales. i told him after my 125r heat to put on my kevlar and life jacket and get in the boat so i could take his picture. he was pleased to do so. he got in ok but took 2 of us to get him back out.
i shall miss you willy. race on.
john

[dlmurray]

Willie

I found out about Willie via an email while I was in Clayton, NY for the Antique Race Boat Regatta. Willie was always there with his motor home and his space on the street where he parked was vacant.

It was a sad day to hear of his passing. He was a great, kind and considerate man.

He will be missed.

[Jeff Lytle]

I 1st met Willy when I was about 10 or 11, and started helping him out at the races I attended where he was running. In those days, the alky outboards were run at most inboard events, and some combined with stock outboards as well. It was a pretty full schedule, we would usually be together for at least 10 races per year, and that was the races I attended with my Mom and Dad--Willy and I hadn't started traveling together to races, that started when I was 14. The closest I can remember, between going to races with him, or my Parents, I probably did 12-15 races a year as Willy's pit man.

Willy, Karl Williams and I used to all pit together, so I guess you could say, I was the busiest 14 year old at the races. Both Willy and Karl ran C Service and C Racing Runabouts, and Willy ran C Stock Runabout too, so it meant switching motors between heats--Fueling--ReFueling--Hauling boats in and out of the water (NO boat carts back then, and those muthas' were HEAVY!!) cleaning up the boats and engines after the races were over--It just went on and on............I was 14, and I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

We traveled together to races in: Rawdon Quebec, Lac Echimin Quebec, Le Prarie Quebec, Cobden Ontario, Queon Quebec, Ogdensberg NY, Waddington NY, Lisbon Beach NY--Year after year-- <<He bought my meals, and gave me a place to sleep in his brown station wagon--and that was all, I never asked for anything more>> Willy used to joke with me about it was his doing that I had grown so tall, it was all that standing in the water I used to do for him!


What I never realized untill later in life, was I was subliminally learning the trade from two of the top runabout drivers in Canada I can't remember if I realized it or not at the time. They shared everything with me--Set ups, fuel mixes, engine secrets, and even a few tricks Willy taught me to leagally alter the boat bottom to give you the extra edge. Well.........I guess it all sunk in. I used everything he had taught me when I raced. I was even driving a boat that once belonged to him, plus, my team colors were always black with red and gold, Kersjes colors.

I remember overhearing something from one of my competitors one time when I was racing.........and winning. "Jeff uses Willy tactics" was what I heard as I walked into a conversation, just before the conversation fell uncomfortably quiet. Well, if paying attention to my mentor meant I was applying Willy tactics to help me win, so be it, guilty as charged. Willy seldom finished 2nd anyone, and did what had to be done to finish on top.

I remember one year before I started going to CBF Conventions, my Dad brought back something that Willy had given to him to give to me....It was a $20.00 bill (A hell of a lot of $$ in 1974) on the bill Willy had signed: "To the best pit man of all time" "Willy". To that 14 year old, it was the best thing to ever happen to him. $20.00 for doing something I loved to do, and the fact it was cash had nothing to do with it--It was signed by one heroe's of my teen years, Willy Kersjes.

Willy retired from racing a few years later, I always figured he would come back either to drive, or as a team owner, but he never did. I used to see him at all of the US Title Series races I attended, as well as all of the CBF inboard races too. I guess the last time we met was in Clayton NY, the last time I went. We sat and talked for a long time about boat racing, as well as some of the other passions in his life. He was the same old Willy, and I will always remember him and smile when someone mentions his name.

Willy Kersjes, not only the guy who used to cut my hair, but a hell of a good boat racer and friend as well. Thanks for the memories.

[daGiz]

I, also was saddened to hear of Willie's passing ... Jeff, a lot of those memories that you shared, i also remember. I was at most of those races you mentioned ... I saw Willie last at our Ogdensburg Regatta last year ... He always attened our races. I would see his motorhome pull in a day early to get a premier spot to watch. I also saw him at the last Clayton Antique Race Boat Regatta 2 years ago. I didn't find out about his passing until reading it on Hydroracer. Goodspeed, Willie ..... you will be missed ...

[Ralph Donald]

Willie Kersjes

For those that don't already know, Willie donated $2000. for the 500R WC in Lake Alfred. He said that was his class and he wanted to help the drivers that entered. In a conversation in his RV, he said the money should be divided equally and it will be. He was looking forward to the WC and had reserved a place for his RV. He will be missed, especially enjoying an adult beverage with him after the race.