Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Weems' family was eagerly looking forward to his return next Monday, ending his six years of military service, when they heard the tragic news Weems had died in a biking accident during his last week overseas.

"He was ready to come home and be by his family," said Amanda Elliott, his older sister. "His stuff was packed … It was a freak accident."

Weems, 24 and a 2005 graduate of Byron Center High School, died about 4 p.m. Monday after being hit by a train while biking near Ramstein Air Base in Kaiserslautern, Germany, according to stripes.com, the website for the Stars and Stripes newspaper. Weems turned to cross the tracks at an unguarded crossing when the collision occurred.

A spokesman from Germany's federal police agency in Kaiserslautern told Stars and Stripes the train was required to sound a warning when nearing an unguarded crossing, but he could not confirm if the warning had occurred. Weems was wearing headphones at the time of the accident, the spokesman said.

Weems was a member of the 86th Maintenance Squadron, finishing the end of a two-year extension after an initial four years with the Air Force. The incident remains under investigation.

Betsy Weems, his mother, said she received the news of her son's death when she returned home at about 6:30 p.m. Monday and was greeted by military personel and members of the Kent County Sheriff's Department. Since then, the family has been gathered at the Byron Center home.


Air Force Staff Sgt. Joe Weems, surrounded by his mother and father.
"It was just a tragic, tragic accident," Betsy Weems said.

Jim Weems, his father, added hearing word of his son's death was "devastating, the worst thing you can imagine," especially because of the close proximity of his return.

Weems enlisted in the Air Force in 2006 after attending Ferris State University for a semester. During his time with the military, he spent time in Iraq, South Korea, Bulgaria, the United Arab Emirates and Germany — where he served the majority of the past two years, Jim Weems said.

"He felt a strong desire to serve," he said, which was sparked in part by his grandfather and uncle's service in the Air Force and several other family members' military involvement.

Weems loved to travel and generally his job serving as a plane mechanic in the Aviation Ground Equipment department kept him working on bases, out of direct military conflict, said his aunt, Kathy Bell. For the most part, after Weems left Iraq, his family didn't worry about him as he was able to Skype, text, call and play Words With Friends with them on a daily basis, she said.

"Joseph loved his family … He wasn't a quiet, shy boy," Bell said. "He was very social and very giving to his family."

Many of Weems' family members also were able to visit him during his time in Europe. Bell said she went to see Weems in Germany with his mother, Betsy Weems, last year and remembers having a great time blaring "Barbara Streisand" by Duck Sauce as they cruised down the Autobahn on a visit to France. During the trip, she also was impressed at the way Weems was able to host a dinner party with guests from all over the globe.

"There were eight or nine of us speaking at least five different languages," she said. "He just made it work."


Air Force Staff Sgt. Joe Weems, wearing sunglasses, and his two sisters and one brother.

Betsy Weems described her son as "silly beyond belief" with a passion for the outdoors. He was the youngest of four siblings.

Weems ran track and played football in high school and was fond of hunting, riding motorcycles and was "the biggest Sublime fan you ever met," said his sister, Amanda Elliott, wearing her brother's old track sweatshirt in the family's living room on Wednesday.

He also loved going to the family's property in Vestaburg, where he enjoyed the lake, grilling and kicking back with a few beers, she said. He was excited that he was going to be back in Michigan in time for Memorial Day so he could spend it Up North.

Weems and his fiancee, Angela, planned to get married in 2014, Jim Weems said.

Elliott said Weems also had a large network of friends and co-workers and she has received a flurry of emails and Facebook messages as word of his death has spread.

"He was extremely outgoing and sensitive to his family," Elliott said. "He was the class clown in high school."

Weems' body is being brought to Dover, Del., and the family anticipates it will return to Grand Rapids by early next week. Elliott said his remains will be escorted by a friend who served with Weems in the military.

Funeral arrangements, which have not yet been set, will be handled in Cook Funeral Home in Byron Center and the service will take place at Cornerstone Church.