W. P. “Sonny” Young, Jr., 77, of Hartford, passed away on Saturday, May 10, 2014, at his residence. He was born in McLean County, Ky., on May 21, 1936, to the late William Parvin Young and Mary Catherine Taylor Young.
He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal for his service as a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps from 1954 until 1957 during the Korean War. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La. He was General Manager and Treasurer of Young Sawmill in Beaver Dam where he had been employed for 41 years. He also served on the Board of Directors of Young Sawmill and Young Manufacturing Company in Beaver Dam. He was a member of the Beaver Dam Baptist Church, and a former Deacon and Sunday school teacher. He was a member of the Green River Loggers Council, Society of American Foresters, and the Kentucky Forest Industries Association.
He enjoyed history and collecting Civil War memorabilia, as well as, collecting cavalry saddles. He enjoyed architectural engineering, riding horses, hunting and shooting and loved spending time on his farm. He was also involved in Log A Load for Kids and Saddle Up for St. Jude.
In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by one brother, Dudley Bruce “Scout” Young, who died on June 29, 2012.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Martha Jo Tanner Young of Hartford; two daughters, Judy Young Eskridge and her husband, Joe of Seattle, Wash., and Kathi Young Simpson and her husband, David of Hartford; four grandchildren: Drew Lo and her husband, Lam of Seattle, William Eskridge of Seattle, Phoebe Simpson of Seattle and Abigail Simpson of Lexington; a sister-in-law, Martha Young of Owensboro; an aunt, Athel Austin of Owensboro, and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
A celebration of life service will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14, at the Beaver Dam Baptist Church, with Rev. Glenn Armstrong officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery in Hartford with full military honors conducted by the Wesley C. Phelps Honor Guard of Ohio County. Visitation will be held from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesday at Miller-Schapmire Funeral Home in Hartford and from 9 a.m. until the time of the service on Wednesday at the Beaver Dam Baptist Church.
The family requests that expressions of sympathy be made in the form of a donation to Ohio County Equestrian, Inc., 819 Davis Road, Beaver Dam, Ky., 42320; Hospice of Ohio County, 1211 Main Street, Hartford, Ky 42347; The Gideons International, P.O. Box 401, Hartford, Ky 42347; or the Beulah General Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Sandy Baird, 600 Mystery House Lane, Calhoun, Ky. 42327.