Ronald Charles Young

1941 - 2022

Ronald Charles Young was born on July 23, 1941, in Aberdeen, South Dakota to his parents, Charles and Dorothy Mielke Young. Ron met, fell in love, and married his best friend and soul mate, Beverly Braithwaite on June 13, 1964.

Ron graduated from the University of South Dakota with a Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering. While living in Indiana, Ron graduated from Purdue University with a Master's Degree in Industrial Operations. Ron also taught evening classes in engineering at Purdue University. In 1999, Ron retired from Lucent Technologies in Columbus, Ohio and moved to Mountain Home, Arkansas.

As a Classic Car enthusiast, Ron's passion for cars took him and his wife from amateur competition speed racing events to restoring and showing Classic Cars at several national events. Ron was a member of several local and national car clubs. Although there were several makes and models in Ron's collection, his favorite was the Corvette.

Ron and Beverly's first date was in a '61 Corvette. He was a member of the National Corvette Museum, where he and his wife were inducted as charter members of the Zora Arkus-Duntov Society on April 24, 2008. Ron's '96 Grand Sport was on display in the National Corvette Museum as tribute to the famous Competition Corvettes.

Of all the Corvettes Ron owned over the years, his pride and joy was his 65th "Birthday Car", a red, 2006, Z06 Corvette. Ron and Beverly traveled to the Corvette Assembly Plant, Bowing Green Kentucky, to watch his "Birthday Car" be assembled. Ron was able to start his Vette and drive it off the assembly line. Delivery of the "Birthday Car" was arranged through the National Corvette Museum. Ron was also a member of the National Rifle Association and the Twin Lakes Gun Club.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents and younger brother, Terry.

A memorial donation in Ron's name may be made to the National Corvette Museum, C/O Scholarship Education/Education Program, 350 Corvette Drive, Bowling Green, KY 42101.