Ernest J. "Ernie" Young

Ernest "Ernie" J. Young Ernie died on September 2, 2007 after a short illness. He epitomized the American dream, growing up in a small steel town in Ohio during the Depression, but after WWII eventually coming to California where he became president of one of the world's largest credit card companies and hobnobbed with movie stars and European aristocrats. Born in 1922 in Campbell, OH, son of immigrants, his father a "beat cop," he went to Ohio University and served in World War II as an officer in the 78th Infantry Division. He was in the Battle for the Hertgen Forest and was seriously wounded in Kesternich in some of the most brutal fighting in Western Europe that was essential for securing the American flank during the Battle of the Bulge. Years later he was in France on business, rented a car and drove along the route he had taken in the war through Belgium and France and then to Kesternich. He visited the tavern in which he had his company headquarters on the edge of town, the road where his jeep was hit by mortar fire and finished his interrupted journey across Kesternich and through the Ruhr. Even years later, he could not tell the story without tears for his fallen comrades. After returning home from the war and recuperating, he took graduate classes at Ohio State and then began working for United Way, then know as the Community Chest, in various cities across the United States. After serving as head of the United Way of California, he moved to Marin and joined the Bank of America in 1966 and quickly rose to prominence at the bank, at various times serving as president of BankAmericard, the bank's innovative credit card subsidiary that grew into Visa, and BankAmerica Travelers Cheques. He traveled around the world constantly, negotiating and preserving relationships in the international banking community and always looking for interesting marketing opportunities. He had the bank sponsor the "Its A Small World" ride in Disneyland and he and Walt Disney opened the ride together. He mingled with royalty in Europe, international bankers around the world and the staff in the mail room with equal facility. He served as president of the Downtown Association of San Francisco for several years and helped drive successfully the construction of a new Convention Center in downtown San Francisco. In 1982, he retired from the bank and returned to an earlier passion, United Way, running United Way of the Desert in Palm Springs, CA, in the fall and winter and traveling the rest of the year. He finally retired from United Way in 1997. Ernie lead a remarkable life and his impact was not only on the big projects which bore his touch, but on his warm and caring interaction with others. He was friendly and gregarious and happily talked to everyone and anyone. Where most senior business executives had their telephone calls screened, Ernie always answered his own phone. Ernie's interest in others made him many lasting friends around the world and he will be sorely missed. Ernie is survived by his wife, Marylou of Cathedral City, CA; daughter, Sherri Young Coats of Portola Valley, CA; granddaughters, Devin of New York City and Allyn of San Francisco; son, Craig Young; stepson, Kenneth Payne of Hartford, CT; stepdaughter, Sandra Teel of Redlands, CA; numerous step-grandchildren; his sister Flo Testa of Campbell, OH, and nieces and nephews. Ernie requested that no services be held. His ashes will be scattered in Hawaii. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his honor to VNA Hospice, c/o United Way of the Desert, PO Box 1990, Palm Springs, CA 92263. .