DONALD YOUNG

YOUNG Donald George Young died Saturday at Baptist Medical Center South. Throughout his 74 years, Don was a successful banker and body shop man who enjoyed sharing the historic sites of his beloved St. Augustine and being the neighborhood handyman. But what he thrived on most was being one of the boys. In the beginning, he was one of Delight and Robert Young's boys. Don was tucked in the middle between his older brother Paul and baby sister Martha. They lived in Dayton, Ohio where Don made a name for himself with his flashy white convertible, for causing a ruckus with his best friend Darrell Duke and for his aggressive play on the high school football field. Then, in what could only be described as fate, Don became one of Woody's boys. Woody as in Woody Hayes. Don had already agreed to play college ball in Colorado when the legendary Ohio State coach was in Dayton to scout another player. Instead, he made Don an offer that every Ohio boy dreamed of - to wear the scarlet and gray as an Ohio State Buckeye. He was almost one of Vince's boys - as in Vince Lombardi. In his junior year at Ohio State, Don received a letter from the Green Bay Packers coach saying the team was interested in him. However, a devastating knee injury soon after that ended any professional dreams. As a father, Don was the oldest boy in the family he built with his two sons, Todd and Rodd, and two daughters, Jayne and Jody. The family grew to include Todd's wife Marcy, Jody's husband Kevin, grandchildren Zach, Alayna, Jamie and Kelly, and the newest boy in the family, 8-month-old great-grandson Aleister. Don ultimately became the one and only boy in the life of Marilyn, his wife of almost 26 years. He fit in perfectly with her large (and a little kooky) family, whether it was hosting epic cookouts, playing low-stakes poker games with a high-stakes passion or accepting Marilyn's 35-year obsessive crush on Kenny Rogers. Now, he is one of God's boys, where his mother is calling him Donny, Woody Hayes is smacking him around and Marilyn's mother is thanking him for loving her daughter the way a woman should be loved. Don's life will be celebrated Thursday at a one o-clock P.M. memorial service at Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, 4115 Hendricks Ave. The family will begin receiving guests at noon. Because of Don's love of animals (especially their dog, Lucy, and cats, Lily, Bridget and Casey), the family is asking that memorial donations be made to the Jacksonville Humane Society, 8464 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32216 or First Coast No More Homeless Pets, 6817 Norwood Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32208. Please Sign the Guestbook @ Jacksonville.com