Donald Richard “Don” Young

Donald Richard Young “Don”, age 80, Arrowhead Estate, Edwards, Missouri, passed away May 16, 2019 at 9:45 PM in his home after fighting stage 4 pancreatic/ liver cancer for thirteen months.

Don was born March 17, 1939 in Lamar, Missouri, the son of Theodore Richard Young and Angeline Frances Cook. He was raised in Independence, Missouri where he attended McCoy Grade School and graduated from William Chrisman High School. He attended Central Missouri College, Warrensburg, Missouri and Finley Engineering College in Kansas City Missouri. He
was a member of the All Saints Episcopal Church in Independence, Missouri. He served six years in the United States Army 35th Division, 129th Field Artillery Division from 1958 to 1964 and obtained rank of Sargent.

Don worked for his father as a young man in the construction/cement business and he worked for Hallmark cards in Kansas City Missouri as a Silkscreen Print Operator until 1961when he accepted an Advertising Account Executive position with the Kansas City Star Newspaper. Don worked in all aspects of the advertising business including management of the Classified Advertising Department during his 44 years of employment with the Star. He won numerous awards during his career until his retirement at the age of 67 on February 28th 2006. He was a skilled carpenter and construction worker and did all his own repairs and remodeling on his homes.

Don Married Doris Anne Smith-LaPrade on February 29, 1966. They had 4 children and 9 grandchildren together until Doris’s death on May 23rd, 2003. Don Married Diana Ruth Tyler on October 5, 2004, a fellow Advertising Account Executive at the Kansas City Star.

Don spent his retirement doing the things he loved: lakeside living, traveling, working 1000-piece puzzles, observing wildlife, fishing, boating, movies, long walks in the beautiful Ozark woods, dining out, gardening (vegetables and flowers.) He would spend many hours sitting on his dock waving at the Spoonbillers and boats cruising by on the lake of the Ozarks or sitting in his swing in his resort like backyard enjoying the thousands of flowers he and his wife Diana planted over the years. Don made many improvements on the property including a 40-foot bridge over their backyard creek leading to a gazebo with flower gardens and statuary. He built a remarkable natural rock full size wishing well in their backyard to house their fresh water well. KY3 local news ran a story depicting their wishing well where they claimed it was “so beautiful.” Don was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend.

Don was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by three sons: Kenneth Allen Young and wife Angie of Overland Park Kansas, Richard Zane Young of Liberty Missouri, Rodney Wayne Young and wife Diane of Pleasant Hill Missouri and daughter Angela Sue Yarolum of Liberty Missouri. Other survivors include a sister Barbara Alice Salisbury of Independence Missouri and a brother Harold Wayne Young of S. Ignatius, Montana., 9 grandchildren and a wealth of nieces and nephews.

Services are pending at Swan Lake Memorial Gardens 30000 E. Valor Dr., Grain Valley, Missouri.

Services are pending at Swan Lake Memorial Gardens 30000 E. Valor Dr., Grain Valley, Missouri.