Kenneth E. Young

KENNETH E. YOUNG May 1, 1921 - Dec 29, 2003

Kenneth Young, age 82, passed away peacefully in Fresno on Monday, December 29, 2003. Ken was born on May 1, 1921, to William Frederick and Ruth Coats Young in Colorado Springs, CO. The family of six moved to Long Beach in 1935, where Ken attended Woodrow Wilson High School. He was active in sports and played on the varsity tennis team. After graduation in 1939 Ken worked for Lockheed Aircraft for two years before he joined the U.S. Navy and served until 1945. Following his Navy service he attended business college and found his niche in a temporary job at the Aetna Insurance Company. Ken was soon approached by Armand Feichtmeir to join him in his own business. Ten years later the company changed to Pan American Underwriters, Inc., where Ken worked for 25 years until he retired in 1982. In 1975 he and his beloved wife, Annette, moved to Fresno to restructure the local office and make Fresno their home. Ken was preceded in death by his brother Joseph; and parents, William and Ruth Young. He is survived by his wife Annette of Fresno; Ken's daughter, Cinde and her husband Nicholas Diederich; also his son, Rodney and his wife Kathee; first wife, Kathy Young; grandchildren, Traci, Matthew, Valerie, Rebecca, Michelle, and their spouses; and great-granddaughter Madeleine of Los Angeles, CA. Also surviving Ken are sisters, Florence Young, and Dorothy Young McIntire of Orinda, CA; his brother-in-law, Paul Bouchard and sister-in-law, Isola Bouchard-La Belle; and Gabrielle Bouchard of Chicoutimi, Canada; and his two nephews, Marcel Bouchard of Los Angeles, CA, and Patrice Bouchard of Montreal, Canada. One of Ken's favorite past imes was flying. He was a member of a beloved, private pilot, flying group since 1968, traveling with the Skylarks all over the United States, Canada, and Mexico. He was commander of the Tehran Flying Shriners since 1984. He served as Commander of the Sheriff's Air Squadron for Search and Rescue, and a member of the Poor Man's Club for 25 years. He was also an active member in the Masonic Lodge of California for 50 years, belonging to the Order of Scottish Rite and Order of the Shriners. We will miss this loving, gentle husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Our lives have been enriched by his presence and the love, courage, adventurous spirit and vision he brought to us each day. We will miss him very much! A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at the Northwest Chapel, 5415 West Avenue, on the corner of West and Barstow Avenues, on Saturday, January 10, 2004, at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Tehran Temple Shriners/Transportation Fund, 5407 E. Olive Ave., Fresno, CA 93727 or American Diabetes Association, Central Valley Region, 55 Shaw Ave, Clovis, CA 93612.