Ronnald (Ron) Gene YoungYAKIMA - Ronnald (Ron) Gene Young, age 61, passed away on Friday, June 30th, 2012 at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital. His passing comes after a 28 year uphill battle as a result of multiple injuries suffered in a single vehicle motorcycle accident.
Ron was born on June 7, 1951 to Lawrence and Blanche Young in Westwood, CA. He attended both grade school and junior high school in Lakeview, Oregon. His junior year of high school found him transferred to A.C. Davis High School in Yakima, WA. When the football coaches saw him strutting down the halls of their school they were bound and determined that he had to play football for Davis, but alas, his heart belonged to the wrestling mat. During his junior year he was named most improved wrestler. His senior year was capped with a third place finish in the state championships for the Davis Pirates. He graduated from Davis High School in 1970 and moved on to wrestle for one year at Yakima Valley Community College.
It was near this time he met Dawn Ann Young and they soon become a threesome by adding a son, Mark Everett Young, to their family. Ron and Dawn Ann divorced but remained close over the years watching their son become an amazing young man and father in his own right.
Before his accident occurred in August of 1984, on Highway 12 between Yakima and Gleed, he participated in many different sports including softball, golf, handball, and racquetball. One of his favorite pastimes was going fishing and hunting with his brother-in-law. Numerous evenings were spent target shooting bow and arrow in search of the bulls eye, practicing for the big hunt. Many other nights were spent playing Trivia Pursuit and Pinochle with his sister Roxie and family.
Ron is preceded in death by his parents Lawrence and Blanche. He is survived by his son Mark Young and daughter in-law Sara Young, along with his two grandsons, Diego and Cruz Young all of Bothell, WA; one brother, Rex and Rose Young of San Jose, CA; three sisters, Roxanna and Gary Carter of Tieton, WA, Ritha and Tom Jones of Bend, OR, Robin Young of Lakewood, WA. Also surviving Ron are numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
The family would like to thank the care staff at Cedar Hills Adult Homes for the loving care they gave to Ron. Also for the amazing care showered upon him by the Hospice staff of Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital during his last hours. A celebration of Ron's life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers or cards, the family asks that donations be made to Brookside Funeral Home & Crematory or to Solarity Credit Union (attn: Ron Young Memorial c/o Roxanna Carter). The donations are to be put forth for the newly established Ron Young Memorial Wrestling Scholarship which will be presented to a deserving A.C. Davis High School wrestler.
