Marieanne Gaffke Young

Marieanne Gaffke Young will be forever remembered for her love for her family, her friends, and a good bourbon. When Marieanne began dating and needed a go-to cocktail, her father advised her, “Don’t drink the sweet stuff. Stick to a bourbon and branch so you can keep your wits about you.”

The oldest child of Colonel Frank Gaffke (US Army) and his fashionable wife Frances Laird Gaffke, Marieanne was born in Havre de Grace, Maryland, on August 7, 1947. Marieanne and her beloved younger siblings Gretchen, Stephanie and Mark were army brats on the move. Spending her childhood in far-flung locales like Wiesbaden, Germany and Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Marieanne spent her late teens living at Schofield Barracks in Honolulu, Hawaii. She studied at the University of Hawaii, frolicked on the beach wearing beautiful custom-made Hawaiian bikinis and was presented to society at the annual Debutante Ball. Marieanne’s love for Hawaii was strong and she was fortunate to return to this paradise with her love, Bill.

Back stateside, Marieanne was working in Washington, DC, where she attended a tea dance at Ft. Belvoir and met a dashing young Army officer named Lloyd William Young, Jr. Their first date on July 4, 1968, watching the fireworks on the National Mall sealed their union and Bill and Marieanne were married on February 8, 1969. Five short weeks later, Bill was off to Vietnam. He served with honor during his tour and then rejoined Marieanne in a joyful marriage that would last for 53 years.

Bill and Marieanne raised their family in Damascus, Maryland, a small town outside Washington. Katie, Heather and Matt grew up on Peakview Court surrounded by friends that were always ready to roller skate, play soccer, ride bikes or camp in the backyard - and neighbors who treated them like their own children. Damascus was a place where everyone knew your name (Mom’s spies were always watching), kids played outside until the streetlights came on or the dinner bell was rung, we ate blueberries warmed by the sun right off the bushes, and neighbors passed yummy desserts to each other over the back fence.

In Damascus, Marieanne was the original community organizer. She served as the President of both Damascus Y-Women and the PTAs of Cedar Grove Elementary and Damascus High School and was instrumental in obtaining funding for the renovation of both schools. During the summer you could find Marieanne at the Damascus Pool cheering for the swim team and drinking her “special iced tea” with her friends.

Marieanne curated a lifelong passion for reading. She was a member of many long-lasting book clubs and was a member of the Damascus Library Advisory Board. Her love for falling into a good book has been passed down to her children, who have also found joy escaping into The Outlander Series (for one)!

Over the past twenty years, Marieanne and Bill - her liege-man for life - have most enjoyed spending time with their family. Katie and Kevin in New Jersey with their children Ryan, Regan and Brady. Heather and Pete in North Carolina with their children Lilly and Campbell. Matt and Angela in South Carolina with their children Matthew, Anderson and Avery. The “Forever Young” family has enjoyed vacations together at Lake Norman, the Outer Banks and Charlottesville where broken air conditioning, pesky neighbors and haunted basements couldn’t dampen the fun.

Known to her beloved grandchildren as “Dee Dee”, the kids especially loved that she always traveled with her “Magic Bag”. As written in her own words, “Magic is important. It’s about Santa, falling in love and the miracles that happen every day. As I told Ryan in my message to him when he graduated, “Keep magic in your life. It fosters kindness and joy toward others and a full magic bag can enrich your life. That’s what I hope the children take with them.”

Marieanne dedicated her life to the Blessed Mother. She put her husband in the palm of Her hands during the Vietnam War and during his frequent world-wide business travel. When she was diagnosed with cancer over five years ago, she put herself in Her hands. The Blessed Mother brought her comfort throughout her life.

Marieanne’s family sends our love and sincere thanks to everyone that loved her and has supported us all for so many years. We owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their wife, mother, sister and grandmother - for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example. Marieanne has been a friend to so many over the years. A true friend to everyone she met may be her everlasting legacy. Shouldn’t we all aspire to be such a great friend to others throughout our lives?

Services will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Marieanne’s honor to the Tunnels 2 Towers Foundation. https://t2t.org/donate/.

White Funeral and Cremation Service Supply/Bolivia Chapel.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitefuneralservicesupply.com for the Young family.