Ray Arnold Young passed away at his home in Nauvoo, Illinois on September 9, 2017. He was born in Newdale, Idaho on March16,1930 to Ernest Lorenzo and Edythe Watts Young. Ray moved to Twin Falls, Idaho with his family when he was in middle school. He attended Twin Falls High School. When he was 14 he met Mary LaRae Miller and decided that very first day he would marry her. They were married in 1951 in the Idaho Falls Temple. They are the parents of six children. They made their home in Twin Falls and he purchased a Conoco gas station. In 1957, after having served in the National Guard for 10 years, he decided to join the Army.
Ray served in many places over his career. He especially loved time at Fort Rucker, Alabama where he taught fixed wing and helicopter training. He served two tours of duty in Vietnam. During his last tour in 1976 he was instrumental in the building of the first LDS chapel in Vietnam. He also was able to fly many General Authorities to various bases in Vietnam when they would be in the country to visit. H felt that he was more on a mission than in a war zone. He loved his country and was proud to serve. Through the military he was able to complete his college education and graduated from the University of Omaha. He retired in 199 at the rank of Colonel, settling in the Washington, DC area. After retirement he worked for Airline Pilots Association and then Barlow Corporation before retiring fully in 1996.
In 2002 Ray married Kay Fronk in the Salt Lake Temple and they made their home in Nauvoo. He and Kay enjoyed watching the construction of the new temple and participating in the festivities of the annual pageant. He served for many years on the Pageant Security Council, similar to his earlier service as head of security for the open house of the Washington DC Temple.
In addition to being a sealer in the Nauvoo temple for 13 years, Ray enjoyed his other church callings, particularly with the scouting program. For eleven years he served as chairman of the Nauvoo Friends of Scouting. He always valued scouting for its ability to help build individual character and community responsibility. His service was honored when he received the Silver Beaver Award in 2011 from the Mississippi Valley Council for Scouting.
Ray never strayed far from his farming roots. Before leaving to serve in Vietnam, he insisted on planting a huge garden, for which his children did not share his zeal for tending while he was overseas. He made sure to plant a garden on his large lot here in Nauvoo, where he and Kay enjoyed gardening, exchanging produce with friends and neighbors. He loved his electric cart that he used to transport tools and produce. Once he forgot to set the blade on the cart, and it careened down the hill, coming to a stop in the river.
He is preceded in death by his first wife, LaRae Young, his parents, his sister Joan Stevens and brothers Junior and Donald Young.
He is survived by his wife, Kay Young; two daughters Denice (Larry) Meyer and Rashelle (William) Johnson; his sons Thane (Susan), Lane (Christina) Young, Blaine Young and Aaron (Kristen) Young, 20 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren and one sister, Vernetta Bates.
Interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery with Full Military Honors at a later date.
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Experience the passion and drama of Puccini’s “The Girl from the Golden West”.
Featuring special guest musicians from The Chesapeake Youth Orchestra,
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