William Nam passed away at his Newport Beach home on April 27th, 2024 at the age of 35.

Those who knew Will knew that he was someone who always went out of his way for others. He loved to see people he knew around the community; he always took the time and effort to give everyone his full attention when they were together, and liked to make small unexpected gestures that made others feel seen and cared for. Everyone who was fortunate enough to be close to him had their lives changed by knowing him, and his loss leaves a chasm that can never be filled.

Will grew up in California. He badly wanted to experience other places, and the opportunity arose when he was accepted to McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He was already in a long distance relationship with his then-girlfriend Yolande, who he had met on an online forum about driving manual transmission cars. Will and Yoley had started talking one day and they just never stopped, never missing a single day of conversation from the age of 17 to 35. Yoley was already attending McGill, so this gave Will even more reason to explore what was beyond California's borders.

When it came time to go back to California, Yoley tagged along so that Will would not be making the cross-country drive alone. They were dreading having to go back to being in a long distance relationship. After having lingered together in California, Will asked Yoley to marry him and stay in the US with him. That was an easy yes! Will and Yoley got married at the historic Old Santa Ana Courthouse on July 13th, 2010.

Will held multiple positions throughout his career, with his time at a startup in Santa Monica - called Bestcovery - being the first long term job. His intelligence and penchant to quickly get to the bottom of things led him to become a foundational member at the company.

When it was time to move onto something new, he entered the world of car business. Will was extremely passionate about cars and driving. He spent several years working at different brands, with a preference and talent for the higher end brands. His last position in the automotive industry was at Porsche Newport Beach; he had set a goal for himself years prior that he would one day work with Porsche, so this was a goal achieved. Although the hours were long and the work was physically demanding, he loved the exposure to the clients and the cars.

Will left Porsche Newport Beach because he was offered a new opportunity - a chance to take up the reins of an old friend - Bestcovery, which was now partnered with the LA Times. Although this would mean a difficult commute again, the promise of something less taxing than car business, and the personal investment he had already made in the company years prior, moved him to accept the offer. After Covid hit, Will was able to work remotely from home - a welcome respite after years of long hours and long commutes. Lunch and hugs from Yoley didn't hurt, either.

Outside of work, Will loved to spend time with Yoley above all else; enjoying a drink, sharing a home-cooked meal, watching shows together, making plans for the future, and just talking and enjoying each other's company into the late hours of the night.

Will was also deeply committed to martial arts, and was an active member of Kuk Sool Kwan Hapkido in Irvine. He had begun collecting all sorts of martial arts paraphernalia and books that were slowly taking over the home. Will would come home from hapkido class excited to show Yoley all the new things he had learned, and was always wanting to talk about and demonstrate both the theory and practice of everything he was working on.

His hobbies included finding shade whenever Yoley convinced him to join her on a sunshine-filled trip to the beach or on a walk, finding ways to make electronics and other setups at home better and more efficient, reading and learning about every single thing he could, somehow picking up new languages in a matter of days, drinking iced coffee, and snacking on way too many mint chocolates.

Will was notorious for turning a quick hop out to run errands into an outing - a 10 minute trip to the grocery store would turn into iced coffees and driving up and down PCH or to visit lookout spots he knew Yoley liked, all while talking and observing the world together.

If he wasn't reading, at hapkido class, or spending time with his wife, Will also enjoyed playing video games, and just about any activity where he had the opportunity to exercise his intellect and improve his skills. He also had quite the green thumb, and had a small collection of carnivorous plants on his desk. While he credited Yoley for the small jungle that was being built up at home, he was the most integral part of keeping everything and everyone around him thriving.

Will is survived by his wife, Yolande Detheux of Newport Beach, his parents Joseph and Josephina Nam of Fontana, his sister Elizabeth Nam of Fontana, his mother-in-law Carol Porteous of Victoria BC, his father-in-law Jean Detheux of Montreal, his brother-in-law Georges Detheux of Montreal, and members of the extended family.

Will was a pillar of strength and generosity for those closest to him, and his passing is an immeasurable loss to us all.

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