Honoring the Life of William Liberi '05

foto: S. Bear Bergman

September 18, 2007 — Police identify man found dead

The Canandaigua Police Department has identified the person found dead in an apartment Friday.

William Liberi, 23, was found dead Friday around 12:30 p.m. in his home at 348 Jefferson Ave., Apt. 39, police said.

His cause of death has yet to be determined.

Police encouraged anyone with information about the case to call them at (585) 396-5044.


Before Wells was “co-ed” we already had full-time students who were men. Nick and Will were the first and then others followed. Both Nick and Will transitioned at Wells and found that a women’s college is both a safe place for queer students as well as a strange place for gender changes. Within our small LGB community the T was added and dialogues began that had never been heard around campus. Will was in the thick of it. Educating and listening. He wanted to become the “counselor he never had” for LGBT youth.

After graduating from Wells, majoring in Psychology with minors in Religion and Creative Writing, Will began at Syracuse University in the Counseling Psychology program. Following his dream. He would write to me over email and keep in touch. It was good to hear from him. The last time I heard from him he wrote that he was thinking of me and that I should know that I am loved. That was Will. Reminding every one of us queer folk that someone loves us and that someone was most likely Will. His handle was Papa Will and he would answer questions from all sorts of people about trans issues with a patience and kindness that left me speechless. Yes, he was a counselor at heart.

Will was my psychology advisee and my TA for two years. We did a lot of work together. Organizing transgender speakers and performances to raise awareness on campus. He was empathic and caring, always able to support others through difficult times. He fought the good fight against co-ed even though for him, as a young man, it was difficult to hear how much the women students did not want men in their classes. He understood even though it made him angry. What made him angrier though was how the students were no longer listened to after co-ed. Will wrote campus-wide emails advocating dialogue, demanding to be heard.

There are weeks like this, mi gente, where in a short few days the fullest of lives moves on to the next and the very young who barely got started are called away. Let’s send our prayers and remember the courageous among us never leave, they wait for us to catch up.

Prendan unas velitas, herman@s, mandale a Don Willie y el joven Will todo el amor que tienes en tu corazon destrozado. De tripas, corazones. That's all I got.

Written by Will on his LJ:

Sunday, September 9th, 2007
8:57 pm

One little star

If one little star
In all the sky
Winks out in the night,
Who would notice?

For once,
I don't ask this
Looking for justification
Of wanting to die in peace.

I ask as a planet,
Which will continue to orbit
A cooled sun.
Gravity. Loyalty. Habit.


From Leigh Gershman a senior at Wells and friend of Will's:

Dear Wells Community,
With a heavy heart and many tears I need to inform you all that William Nicholas Liberi, birth name Joy Liberi, died last Tuesday, September 11, at his apartment in Canadaigua, NY. He was 23.Will was a great friend, role model, mentor and asset to Wells at the wane of single sex education. Will was an integral part of the then LBQTA (now Q&A), he WRC and was TA for the psych department. He was a bellringer, Student Diversity Club representative, Hillel member and supporter of Henry's VIII,a club that accepted another transgender student, Nick, during Will's freshman year. I founded a Scrabble Club back in 2004 and he gladly attended meetings.

As a transgender student and only male resident at Wells, Will experienced some hate from other Wells students, but support from others. Allies, transquestioning, transgender and homosexual alike sought out his advice on campuswide matters (administrative policies, the co-ed decision, etc.)

When I described Will to my friends and family back home I called him the on-campus shrink (his ambition was to be a social worker to help gender-questioning people) who we could turn to for an open mind, open heart and wealth of ideas to handle our dilenmas. From the first day of orientation when he helped me move into my room, through the personal struggles I had changing majors and taking time off, Will was a great friend with a wonderful sense of humor and open heart.

His cousin, who I had e-mail corresponded just two weeks back regarding getting in touch with Will, brought me the news yesterday.

I would like to arrange a memorial service for Will this week. Please join me in wishing a Wells alum farewell. On Thursday afternoon I will run in Will's honor at Keuka College's inaugural race.

Kindest regards,
Leigh Gershman