Bob Young

Bob Young, who during a tumultuous era briefly anchored ABC's evening news, died last Wednesday at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. The longtime village resident was 87.

Mr. Young began his broadcasting career as a television news director in South Bend, Ind. He joined ABC News in 1963 and was a correspondent in the London bureau in 1966 and 1967. The Army Air Forces veteran of World War II covered two wars while posted in London  Vietnam and the Arab-Israeli Six Day War.

Mr. Young was made evening news anchor on Jan. 1, 1968. He took over from 29-year-old Peter Jennings, who a decade-and-half later would return to the anchor chair for a 22-year run.

Mr. Young was anchor for just five months  but it was a consequential five months. Vietnam was raging. Student protests were brewing. President Lyndon Johnson announced March 31, 1968, that he would not seek reelection. Four days later, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot in Memphis.

Mr. Young narrated ABC's special report on the King assassination, which included comments from President Johnson. The anchor had interviewed King several weeks earlier.

ABC reformatted its newscast the following month and Mr. Young was reassigned to WABC-TV, Channel 7, in New York. He joined WCBS-TV, Channel 2, that September. He anchored the 11 p.m. news and was a suburban correspondent during several years at Channel 2.

A serious head injury ended Mr. Young's on-camera career. He fell off a ladder while trimming trees on his Ridgewood property.

"He almost lost his life," said his son, Robert.

After a lengthy recuperation, Mr. Young went into public relations consulting.

He is survived by his children, Robert Young of Oradell, Michael Young of Coatesville, Pa., and Amy Brown of Mahwah, and six grandchildren. Mr. Young |was divorced from his first wife, Shirley, who died in 2009. His second wife, Shelly, died in 2006.

Visiting and services will be Friday from |3 to 7 p.m. at Feeney Funeral Home, Ridgewood.

E-mail: levin@northjersey.com