Kenneth Harold Young

10/20/1923 ~ 5/22/20

Born: October 20, 1923
Died: May 22, 2020
Married: Miriam Adela Seely – February 5, 1944
World War II Veteran
He was 96 years of age

Kenneth Harold Young, the oldest of three children, was born in Mt. Pleasant Utah on October 20, 1923 to Harold Alma Young and Verda Mae Jensen Young. Siblings: brother, Robert Young; sister, Janice Young Olt.
Ken was preceded in death by his wife, Miriam Adela Seely Young, January 2014, his parents, and brother. He is survived by four children: Steven Kenneth Young, Susan; Sheila Rae Young Goodloe, Richard; Debbra Lynne Young Vaughn, Steven; and Kevin Morley Young. He has 8 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.
At the age of 10, Kenneth was given a trumpet for Christmas….this act of fate set the tone for Kenneth’s life. As he began to play the trumpet, he realized he had a natural talent and could hear a song then play it without the need to read music.
At 18 years of age, Ken joined the Navy Construction Battalion, CB’s. He turned 21 on Omaha Beach in France (Battle of the Bulge) where his duties included assembling rhino barges that hauled equipment from ship to shore and was lucky to avoid combat. He also spent time in Newfoundland Canada where his troop renovated a U.S. naval base. He also served in Germany where his battalion was tasked with picking up German submarine pens. He also spent time in England.
Ken’s musical talents took his life to places that would have been unattainable without it. He received his School of Music and Theory Degree from Brigham Young University. He played in many bands throughout his life. He started a band while in the Navy CB’s and led many church choirs and musical productions within the Latter-Day Saint community in Santa Rosa California and Redmond Washington. Musical productions included Oklahoma, Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof, and South Pacific.
After college graduation, the family moved to Mt. Pleasant where he began his musical teaching career in Spring City and Fairview. The family then moved to Payson Utah where he taught at Santaquin Jr. High. After teaching a year in Santaquin, he began teaching at Payson Jr. High where he taught music, band and voice for two years.
In 1953, an opportunity presented itself that allowed the Young family to move to Iran under the auspices of the U.S. Government Point Four Program, through a BYU contract.
Kenneth’s specific duties in Iran were to help facilitate building new schools and to introduce new educational curriculum to the Iranian people. Ken learned Farsi and was a successful liaison for America and Iran for two years.
Upon returning to the United States in 1955, the Young’s moved to Mt. Pleasant where Ken taught band and music in Spring City and Fairview. After a year, they moved to Orem, Utah where Ken taught at Farrer Jr. High in Provo. They built a home in Orem and lived there for four years before moving to Rexburg, Idaho where Ken was the Madison High School music teacher.
After Rexburg, the family moved to Santa Rosa California where Ken’s vocation changed to become a representative for Follett Publishing Company, and where their last child, Kevin was born.
Another move took them to Redmond Washington where Ken began an independent career of representing multiple educational book publishing companies, and where they built a dream home on Lake Washington.
The next move as empty-nesters took Ken and “Mim” to Anacortes Washington to another dream home.
Their final move took them back to Redmond Washington until Miriam succumbed to cancer on January 14, 2014.
Ken spent his last years at the Providence Marionwood care facility in Issaquah Washington where he had excellent care and will be missed by administration and staff.
Daddy – you were loved by many. Your family adored you and respected and admired your many accomplishments and talents. Your sharp wit and fun sense of humor will be with us forever as we remember your “Kenneth-isms”. We will raise a Twinkie, your favorite treat, in your honor at your funeral!!
Graveside service Saturday July 25, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. in the Mount Pleasant City Cemetery with military honors.