James Young Jr.
July 28, 1937 - August 15, 2022
James Young Jr, age 85 passed away peacefully at his home on Camano Island, Washington on Monday August 15th, 2022. He was born on July 28th, 1937, in Defiance, Pennsylvania to James and Gladys Young and was one of 12 brothers and sisters.
He was a hard-working farm boy determined he would never work in the coal mines like his father. He was a prankster as a boy putting a skunk down the chimney of his one room schoolhouse. Jim loved and excelled at baseball from a very early age and especially through high school. A great pitcher, he was offered a baseball scholarship to Penn State, but had to move to Buffalo, NY to help support his brothers and sisters. While there, he met the woman who would one day become his wife, Santina Campanella.
He enlisted in the US. Army in 1957 and with a 4-year break in service, retired from the Army in 1985. Jim was in ASA, Radio Operator, Artillery, Drill Sergeant, and First Sergeant. Throughout that time, he pitched baseball and loved the sport, both playing and coaching.
In 1975 he and his family moved from Anchorage, Alaska to Seattle, WA., where he taught at Seattle University. In 1992 he moved to Camano Island, WA while working as a Maintenance Supervisor at Olympic Boat. During his lifetime he had many back surgeries, macular degeneration and recently suffered a stroke. Even with all these handicaps, he remained a wonderful Christian father and friend with a loving personality.
He will be greatly missed by his wife of 60 years, Santina, his son Michael, (Nerissa Teichroew) and grandchildren Aidan and Maya Young, brothers Harry and Jack, sisters Patty Bandinelli and Barbara Young. He is predeceased by his mother and father, brothers Elwood, Blair, Chester, William, and sisters, Elsie, Ladonna, and Dorothy. His youngest son Alan passed in February 2021 and was there to happily greet Jim in Heaven.
FUNERAL INFORMATION
A celebration of life for both Jim and Alan will be announced at a later date.
DONATIONS
In Lieu of flowers, please send donations in Jim’s name to Hospice of the Northwest, Mount Vernon, WA