John E. Young
0006006021-01-1.jpg John E. Young, 83, of Uniontown, Pa., died Sunday, January 2, 2011 in his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Wilkes-Barre, PA on August 27, 1927, the son of the late Walter G. and Kathryn Williams Young.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy Young Thomas and a brother, Thomas Young.
John graduated from Meyers High School, Wilkes-Barre, PA and from Pennsylvania State University in 1952 with a BS degree in Mining Engineering and was a member of Sigma Phi Sigma, a social fraternity, which is now Theta Delta Chi. He was a member of three honorary fraternities, Sigma Gamma Epsilon, Sigma Tau and Tau Beta Pi, an Engineering Honor Society. His senior year he was awarded the “Old Timers” gold pocket watch for student “most likely to succeed in his chosen profession”.
He retired from US Steel, Coal Division, in 1985 as General Superintendent of Frick District. John, also worked for USS in Lynch, KY and the Western District which included mines in East Carbon City (Dragerton), Utah and Somerset, Colorado. After retiring, he did consulting work in Montreal, Canada, Monterey, Mexico and San Christobal, Venezuela, where he flew in a helicopter guarded with machine guns along the Columbian border. He was a registered engineer in PA, KY, UT and WV.
John was a member of Asbury United Methodist Church and Uniontown Country Club, where he had served on the board and enjoyed playing golf. He belonged and supported many organizations including: Penn State Alumni, Friends of Gettysburg, Friends of Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society, Friends of Fort Necessity, member of The Civil War Preservation Trust, The National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Frick Veterans Association, The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, Kentucky Admirals, The West Overton Museum, The St. David’s Welsh Society of Pittsburgh and life-long member of the American Philatelic Society. John enjoyed collecting US Commemorative stamps and reading about the Civil War. He belonged to the Uniontown Civil War Roundtable.
John was a Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge Fidelity in Wilkes-Barre, The Lodge of Perfection, Uniontown, the Pittsburgh Consistory and Oleika Shrine, Lexington, KY.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Joanne DeVaux Young, whom he met at Penn State in English class. He has two children: Leslie John and wife, Faye of Lynch, KY and Christine Young Grice of Huntsville, AL; five grandchildren: Jonathan Young (Ruth), Richlands, WA, “JJ” Young Monhollen (Phillip), Louisville, KY, Nathan Grice, San Francisco, CA, Brian and John Alan Grice, Huntsville, AL and five great-grandchildren: Katy, Hallie and Bradley Young and Leslie Lynn and Harlan Monhollen.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the ANDREW D. FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME, INC., 80 Morgantown Street, Uniontown, PA.
Visitation will be held in the Asbury United Methodist Church today from 10 until 11 a.m., when a service celebrating John’s life at 11 a.m. with Rev. Donald Kephart officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Asbury United Methodist Church, 20 Dunlap St., Uniontown, PA 15401 or to Uniontown Public Library, 24 Jefferson St., Uniontown, PA 15401