In Memoriam: William Farley Young

The Georgia Times-Union/The Florida Times-Union
Jacksonville, Florida
Friday, January 14, 2000
Front Page

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — Glynn County schools Superintendent William F. Young, hospitalized with pneumonia since Tuesday, died yesterday. He was 58.

Southeast Georgia Regional Medical Center would not disclose the cause of death. A school system spokesman said the family has not released any details about the death.

An educator for 36 years, Dr. Young had served as superintendent of the 11,500-student school system for less than a year.

Diagnosed with cancer in 1998, he told school officials last year that the disease was in remission and doctors had been given a clean bill of health.

Becoming superintendent had been a life’s dream, said Susan Raikes-Walker, a member of the county Board of Education.

“At least he achieved his dream before he died,” she said. “I’m just sorry that he did not live long enough to see all of his hopes and dreams for the students of this community carried out.”

The board named him to the position March 22 to replace David Mosely, who retired.

Dr. Young’s death stunned and saddened district officials, teachers and administrators as well as educators throughout South Georgia.

Board Chairman Harlan Hambright praised Dr. Young for his professionalism and dedication to providing the best education possible for children.

“Dr. Young had a vision for the Glynn County school system and possessed the integrity, commitment, qualifications and temperament to carry out that vision,” Hambright said. “His utmost concern was always for the students of Glynn County. This school system and the community as a whole are better today because of Dr. Young’s contributions.”

Hambright also offered condolences to Dr. Young’s family on behalf of the school system.

“Our prayers, thoughts and concerns are with the Young family,” Hambright said.

Hambright and Associate Superintendent William W. Crosby told principals and administrative staff of Dr. Young’s death during an emotional and tear-filled meeting.

Flags were lowered to half-staff at each of the 18 public school campuses as well as at the district administration building and other system facilities yesterday. Wreaths also were placed on office doors at the administration building in honor of Dr. Young.

The school board will meet at 9 a.m. today to develop plans addressing the leadership needs of the school system and related issues. The meeting will be at district headquarters, 1313 Egmont St..

Barbara Baisden, an elementary school teacher and president of the Glynn County Association of Educators, had known Dr. Young for many years.

“We have lost a great educator and administrator. Dr. Young was a great man,” she said. “. . . He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.”

Camden County Superintendent Ann Proctor had known him since the late 1980s when they worked together on special education issues affecting their neighboring school districts.

“It’s a tremendous loss to the school system, and others in education. He was always willing to give you advice and input,” Proctor said. “He was straightforward and would tell you what he honestly thought. You always knew where he stood on things.”

Brantley County Superintendent Al Hunter, who had known him four years, said Dr. Young was very knowledgeable about alternative schools and always willing to make time to share that knowledge with school systems.

A native of Williamsport, Pa., Dr. Young had lived in Glynn County for the past 23 years.

“Let me state — a lukewarm attitude will not bring you where you want to go. A cool aloofness will leave you adrift. You must burn with desire for what you want. Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire. Kindle the fire of desire, enthusiasms and determination within yourselves.

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”

Dr. Bill Young

Excerpt of a speech
to the employees of
the Glynn County School System

He received a bachelor of education degree from the University of Buffalo, a master’s of education from State University of New York, and a doctorate of education administration and supervision from Nova University in Fort Lauderdale.

His education career began in 1964 as an elementary school teacher in Baltimore County, Md. Dr. Young became a junior high school teacher in Harford County, Md., in 1966 and then became a marketing manager in Phoenixville, Pa., in 1968.

Dr. Young returned to education in 1969, serving as an elementary school teacher in Phoenixville, then becoming a supervisor of all principals in that school system in 1972.

In 1977, he became director of pupil personnel services in the Glynn County school system. He was promoted in 1993 to assistant superintendent of pupil personnel services.

Dr. Young was honored in 1992 as school administrator of the year by the School Social Workers Association of Georgia. In 1993, he was named supervisor of the year by the Georgia School Counselors Association. In 1995, he received the National Exemplary Award on Interagency Collaboration, and National Award for Community Based Programs for Mentally Disabled Students.

Raikes-Walker, who has been on the board seven years including serving as chairwoman in 1998, said Dr. Young was committed to “doing what is best for the children and school system.”

“He was one of the most honest and upstanding persons that I have ever had the privilege of knowing,” she said.

Dr. Young was a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. He also was active in many civic and community organizations.

He is survived by his wife, Verna Young, of Brunswick; a son, David T. Young of Atlanta; three daughters, Amy Abner and Elizabeth A. Young, both of Atlanta, and Ginger Hampton, of Jacksonville; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William C. Young of Montgomery, Pa.; and five grandchildren.

Services, arranged by Chapman Funeral Chapel, will be at 11 a.m. tomorrow at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 900 Gloucester St., in Brunswick. Burial will follow at Chapel Park Cemetery, 1180 Cate Road.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Chapman Funeral Chapel, 5588 Altama Ave.

Thursday’s death of Superintendent William R. Young stunned educators. In Dr. Thanksgiving at his parent's home in Pennsylvania

Young’s short tenure, he had passed through the fire of budget shortfalls from the preceding administration and stormy meetings in which board members acted badly. Dr. Young is sworn in as Superintendent of Glynn County schools

Dr. Young is sworn in as Superintendent of Glynn County schools

Through all of that, Dr. Young conducted himself as a gentlemen and quietly directed the system on a course that he believed would produce results. He was genuinely liked by teachers and admired for the character he showed in his very public job.

Dr. Young was in the public eye, but another educator who touched thousands of lives for the better was not. Nell Pinckney, who taught in a vocational classroom at Brunswick High, who suffered from cancer and lupus, died last weekend after a stroke ...

... Glynn County lost two educators whose teaching went beyond the classroom door. Adults and students can learn from their lives.

When the people who called William F. Young friend, co-worker and boss speak of him, the first thing they talk about is his compassion and hard work.

Young, 58, who had taken over as superintendent of schools in Glynn County last July, died Thursday at Southeast Georgia Regional Medical Center.

“His driving desire was to make this school system the best it could be. He was a terrific mentor for those working under him,” said Robert Bouchard, lead social worker for Glynn County schools.

“He was a stickler for loyalty and he felt that loyalty was a two-way street,” said Bouchard.

Jan Lane Harper, director of grant writing and research, worked with Young 21 years.

“He was a wonderful boss,” she said. “He recognized people’s potential and gave them the freedom to expand and be creative. He had great plans and great vision.”

“We used to camp together and he had some finesse with his camping,” said Howard Jetton, a friend for more than 10 years.

“We all went camping once and Bill and his wife were in charge of the food. They served Cornish game hen and had candles on the table. They made us a feast all the way out in the middle of the woods,” he said.

Most of his friends agree with a remark by Ms. Harper, who said of Young, “He’ll be a tough act to follow.”

The funeral for Young will be 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church with the Rev. Liam Collins officiating. Burial will follow at Chapel Park Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Fred Steinmann, John Morrison, Robert Bouchard, Howard Jetton, Norman Sonny Thompson and Joe Conville.

The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 tonight at Chapman Funeral Chapel.

Surviving are his wife, Verna Young of Brunswick; a son, David T. Young of Atlanta; three daughters, Amy Abner and Elizabeth A. Young, both of Atlanta, and Ginger Hampton of Jacksonville, Fla.; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William C. Young of Montgomery, Penn.; and five grandchildren.

A native of Williamsport, Penn., he had lived in Glynn County the past 23 years. He was a graduate of the University of Buffalo where he received his bachelor of education degree. He received his master’s in education at State University of New York and his doctorate of education from Nova University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He had been employed by the Glynn County Board of Education since 1977.

Young was a member of the Council for Exceptional Children, past president and member of Court Appointed State Advocates, the Brunswick Rotary Club, Phi Delta Kappa, Local Commission on Children and Youth Advisory and many other child-advocacy groups.

He received the National Exemplary Award on Interagency Collaboration and the National Award for Community Based Programs for Mentally Disabled Students in 1995.

A somber crowd of school board members, staff and educators gathered this morning to cry together, to comfort one another, and to talk about the vision of Glynn County Superintendent William F. Young, 58.

Young died at 4:05 a.m. today at Southeast Georgia Regional Medical Center. He had entered the hospital on Tuesday to recuperate from pneumonia.

Diagnosed with cancer in 1998, Young stated in March 1999 that he had been declared fully recovered by the hospital.

“When I left from visiting him yesterday he gave me a thumbs-up and that filled me with hope until I got the call this morning,” associate superintendent Buck Crosby told the assembled group.

The board will meet at 9 a.m. Friday to determine short and long-range plans and the direction the system should take due to Young’s death. It is expected that an interim superintendent will be appointed at the meeting to serve until the process of finding a permanent superintendent gets underway.

With tears in her eyes, school board member Pat Ulmer, District 4, told those gathered that while she appreciated all of them, she especially appreciated Young and his sweet spirit. She said that his life had just begun a new chapter with the Lord.

School board member Susan Raikes-Walker was asked to speak but, overcome with emotion, was unable.

Although they had clashed on some issues, Joseph Iannicelli, District 3, said he respected Young’s vision for the school system.

“I know he wanted this [the job of superintendent] for a long time, and it’s a pity that it ended this way,” he said.

Crosby asked that the principals return to their schools and deliver the news to faculty members in their own words in their own way. He also asked that all flags belowered to half-staff in honor of Young.

Named as superintendent March 22, 1999, Young officially took on the job July 1 of that same year, replacing David Mosely.

Before becoming superintendent, Young had served as assistant superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services since 1993 and as director of Pupil Personnel Services from 1977 to 1993.

After receiving his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the State University of New York in Buffalo, Young studied at Johns Hopkins University and Lehigh University. He received his doctorate from Nova University in 1983.

Young has been a member of several community organizations, including Court Appointed Special Advocates, the Brunswick Rotary Club, Glynn County Commission on Children and Youth, Southeast Regional Troubled Children’s Committee, the Elks Lodge, Blythe Island Regional Park Advisory Board, Youth Estate Board of Directors, and the Golden Isles Lions Club.

In November of last year, a routine fiscal review done at the request of Young discovered the board’s $9 million shortfall.

He supported the special purpose local option sales tax that will be presented to Glynn County voters on March 7.

Family members, friends, educators and local leaders packed into St. Mark’s Episcopal Church earlier today for the funeral of William F. Young, superintendent of Glynn County schools.

Dressed all in black, they came one by one walking solemnly, reverently to the church. Coming to pay their last respects to Young were numerous mourners, including Bryan Thompson of the Downtown Development Authority; Heather Heath, director of the Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association; former County Commissioner Sonny Miller; and William “Buck” Crosby, associate superintendent of the Glynn County School System.

The ceremony included a number of eulogies, including that of Fred Steinmann, who had been a friend and coworker since Young began a long career with the Glynn County Board of Education in 1977.

“When I think of Bill Young, I think of two things: integrity and character,” Steinmann said. “His character and integrity were unfailing.”

Bob Bouchard, a colleague, also delivered a eulogy laced with a little wit because he said Young loved a good joke and was a staunch advocate of humor.

“Bill and I shared a common affliction,” Bouchard said. “There is no pill you can take for it. There is no known cure or shot to ease the pain. But with proper guidance and education, its side effects can be limited. The affliction I’m referring to is that we were both from up north.”

Young was born in Williamsburg, (sic — Williamsport) Pa., and had lived in Glynn County for the past 23 years. He signed on immediately with the Glynn County School System, where he remained until his death Thursday at Southeast Georgia Regional Medical Center at the age of 58.

Young served as director of Pupil Personnel Services from 1977 until 1993, when he was promoted to assistant superintendent. He took the helm as superintendent in July.

“The landscape of our community is bleaker today for we have lost an educational visionary,” said the Rev. Liam Collins, priest at St. Mark’s. “His creative persistence opened our eyes to new potential and possibilities for our young people. He walked with a great dignity, yet with a tenacity that revealed a veritable fire of passion for educating our young people.”

“He was a caring professional, easy to work with,” said Jan Lane Harper, the school system’s director of Grant Writing and Research. “I’ve lost a personal friend as well as a professional colleague.”

Young was involved in many civic organizations and received numerous national educational awards. He was named Georgia’s “Administrator of the Year” in 1992 and “Supervisor of the Year” in 1993, all in the name of school children.

“Bill Young cared for people and kids,” said Norman Sonny Thompson, one of the pallbearers at the funeral.

“The kids come first,” Bouchard eulogized. “Bill Young was one of the very few people who lived by this professional philosophy. I couldn’t understand why God would take him when we’re in such need of his leadership and expertise. God must have had an opening for a school superintendent in that high rent district of life.”

“He left us with a heritage of incredibly committed service, a heritage of selfless devotion to educating our young,” he said. “There was only one other passion that actually was a greater priority in his life than education. It was his family.”

“Behind the veil of privacy lived a family man par excellence,” he said. “It was in this arena where Bill Young was at his heartfelt best.”

Young put flesh on the bones of God’s love and his family felt the warm embrace of God’s love in the man’s embrace, Collins said.