Colorado Mesa University student Nichole Mease died in an ATV accident near Palisade on Sept. 18.
According to the Mesa County Coroner’s office, Mease, an inexperienced ATV driver, was attempting to climb a steep hill in the desert south of Palisade when she lost control of the vehicle. The coroner said she sustained multiple injuries and was not wearing a helmet.
Balloons, ribbons, photos and colorful paper lined the wall of the third floor of the Academic Classroom Building in her memory. Messages were scrawled out on heart-shaped pieces of paper: “I was so lucky to know you,” and “You had the greatest smile. My day always got better after seeing you.”
Mease, 28, was a senior majoring in computer information systems with minors in both computer science and business administration. She was born and raised in Grand Junction and graduated from Central High School in 2001.
President of the CMU business club, Phi Beta Lambda, Ashley Wiseman met Mease through the club.
“She was really special,” Wiseman said. “She had the greatest smile all the time, regardless of what was happening.”
Last summer, PBL traveled to Orlando to compete in a national competition. Mease and fellow team members Jaime Feliciano and Heather Flaherty received 10th place trophies for the Small Business Management Plan.
“Nichole was very active in PBL,” Business department head Dr. Morgan Bridge said. “She competed extensively in state and national competitions and loved every minute of it.”
Mease joined PBL last year and Wiseman said she had just started to come out of her shell. Her outgoing personality contributed to her zeal to be involved in as many extra-curricular activities as possible. She loved all things Disney and Harry Potter related and spent her free time playing Angry Birds.
“She was so excited about Harry Potter World,” Wiseman said. “She was a huge fan. She even made butter beer when she got back.”
A tribute to Mease was printed in a recent edition of the PBL newsletter.
“She was my best friend,” Jaime Feliciano said. “It’s weird because I see so many people who seem to take life for granted, and she was just the opposite. She loved life, and loved people.”
PBL Vice President Aleya Bell-Jones said the only time she saw Mease not smiling was when her Mac was stolen at a competition.
“Even then, it only lasted like 10 minutes and she was back to her happy self. She never held a grudge or judged people for anything,” Bell-Jones said.
A service for Mease was held on Friday at Monument View Church.

cmfoster@mavs.coloradomesa.edu