Erwin Carl Young

Silent Service Veteran: Erwin Carl Young gave 20 years into active duty service: Blenny, Skate, Lafayette, (a one month stint on the Henry Clay that he always said was not enough time to count), and the Andrew Jackson. He spent another 10 years in the reserves, while working at Electric Boat (Groton) and Newport News Shipyard working on submarine manuals. He could tell you of taking a motorcycle to work in a blizzard because he was newly enlisted and too poor to own a car, what it felt like as a 6'5" tall person to continuously hit your head on everything inside a submarine, how cold everything was at the North Pole during winter, how bad polar bear smells when you try to cook it in a submarine, his adventures visiting small towns in Europe, and buying and then selling swampland in Summerville South Carolina while living in the barracks in Charleston because it would never be worth anything.
He would have a story for just about any situation, but he would often share that he never had kids of his own... even though he was "Papa" to more than he would ever realize. After marrying his love Dawn in Connecticut, he adopted her two daughters Roxanne and Crystal and welcomed their cousin Laurie into their family as they settled in Newport News. He later adopted Crystal's children. He had a knack for pulling friends, neighbors, and even strangers into the fold. He would continuously teach the lesson that families can always be built around love, support, and helping others. There was always room at his table, and if more space was needed, he would find a way to make it happen. He was a man who believed in helping others, and his generosity extended to everyone he met.
Papa is preceded in death by his parents, siblings, his beloved wife Dawn, and his daughters Crystal and Roxanne. Papa leaves behind his "kids" (alphabetically) Alan, Alex, Amanda, Cheryl, James, Laurie, and Michelle; and granddaughters Ariana and Adelyn; Laurie's sons Jaime, Justin and Jake, Dawn's brothers Dale and Carl; his nephews Carl, Dale, and Troy; his bestest buddy Cooper (an all around good boy); and more friends than we are able to mention. They will all cherish his lessons to look out and care for those around them, and to not do stupid "stuff" that will get them in trouble. Those that knew him will deeply miss his presence. Please remember that Papa loved you all dearly.
Following Papa's wishes, there will be no funeral service. Instead, he asked that we honor his memory by spending time with your loved ones. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the charity closest to his heart: the Fisher House Foundation (www.fisherhouse.org). To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Erwin, please visit our floral store.