Obituary
Blue skies, tailwinds, and God speed! The Eagle has landed.
William Russell Young, age 78, beloved husband, father, Papa and friend, died peacefully at his home in McCormick, South Carolina on July 14, 2020 after an eight-month battle with cancer. Bill was born and raised in Tiffin, Ohio and attended Heidelberg University in Tiffin. His favorite treats from Tiffin included hot chicken sandwiches from Jolly’s old-time carhop diner, Lion’s Club popcorn balls, Ballreich’s potato chips, and he loved cherry pie. After graduating college, he enlisted in the Air Force where he served for 29 years (1963 - 1992) and retired as a Lt. Colonel. He was stationed overseas in Thailand in 1967-68 where he worked as a Logistics Officer. After active duty, he continued his service with the Ohio Air National Guard (17 years), as well as being an Admissions Liaison Officer in the Reserves (20 years), which included recruiting cadets to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He also worked at Libbey Owens Glass Company in Toledo for almost 30 years.
Bill loved driving in one of the many manual-shift sports cars he owned throughout his life (MGB’s, Mazda Miata’s), playing golf, washing his car by hand with a chamois cloth, playing cards (especially euchre), listening to music, visiting the Wright Patterson Air Force Museum whenever he came back to Ohio and rooting for the Ohio State Buckeyes each football season. He so loved the Buckeyes that he got a tattoo of the OSU emblem on his calf in his 70’s! It’s a toss up as to what he loved doing more: actually playing golf or finding lost golf balls from the course behind his home and organizing them in empty egg cartons! He also loved to travel with his wife, Mariska, and had visited all 50 of the United States and countless countries throughout the world.
He is survived by his wife, Mariska (Close) Young of McCormick, SC; four daughters, Michelle Estes (Mark) of Glendale, OH; Amy Cordray (Roger) of Toledo, OH; Stephanie Young (Nenad) of Stockholm, Sweden, and Angela Menon (Surya) of New Albany, OH; two bonus children Kevin Close (Karla) of Mattawan, MI; and Jennifer Newell of Canal-Winchester, OH; many grandchildren (Samantha and Rachel Close; Emma and Reed Newell; Anna Estes; Erika and Adrian Young-Lalic; Nathan and Aidan Menon; Brittany, Carl, and Ashley Cordray), and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Bill is survived by his sister, Betty Rinehart, of Reynoldsburg, OH and friend and mother of his children, Mary Frances Young. Bill is preceded in death by his sister, Patricia Zienta; his father, Russell Young; and his mother, Mary Agnes Young.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Air Force Museum Foundation (www.afmuseum.com).
A message of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.
Harris Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Abbeville, SC is assisting the Young family.
