James Young Obituary

James Martin Young

Born: August 15, 1935; in Kansas City, MO

Died: August 1, 2017; in Wheaton, IL

James Martin Young, 81, of Wheaton, Illinois, passed away Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at his home after a long illness.

Jim was born in Kansas City, Missouri on August 15, 1935 to Otis Martin Young and Gladys Defabaugh Young. The family eventually moved to Chicago, Illinois where he graduated from Kelvyn Park High School in 1953. After attending Brigham Young University for a period of time, he left school and joined the Army. He studied at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, and played tuba in the Army band. He was eventually stationed in Germany where he met his future wife, Doris. They were married at a small chapel on the campus of Northwestern University on June 7, 1958.

He went on to receive his Bachelor's degree in Physics and History from the University of Illinois. He worked for many years as a freelance photographer and as a lithographer at the American Can Company in Bellwood, Illinois. After relocating to Neenah, Wisconsin from1979-1982, he moved his family to Wheaton, Illinois and became the plant manager of the Bellwood Graphic Arts Plant for American National Can until 1998.

During his retirement years, he taught the disabled how to use adapted computer software and equipment at the DuPage Convalescent Center, and taught Computer Science courses as an adjunct faculty member at the College of DuPage. He loved classical music, fishing, photography, camping, football, his natural landscaped garden, dogs, politics and history and was an avid reader and scholar. He was a fan of witty puns, proper grammar, and slapstick comedies. He often noted that only geniuses parted their hair on the right as he and one of his idols, President Harry Truman, did.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Gladys in 1942; his father, Otis in 1981; his stepmother, Geneva Hegmann Young in 1988; his brother, Darrell (at age 2) of polio; and older sisters, Marjorie Young Thompson and Betty Young Clay.

He is survived by his younger sister, Marianna Young Sullivan; his wife, Doris; his daughters, Kirsten Young Powers (Steve) and Jacqueline Young Schulz (Mark); and four grandchildren, Erin and Keira Powers, and Jessica and Calvin Schulz.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Nature Conservancy or the American Diabetes Association are appreciated.

A private service took place on Friday, August 4th and a memorial service will be held in mid-August. For details, please email [email protected].