Lucile Ramona Young

Lucy passed away peacefully on Feb. 24th, 2021 at The Cottage in the Meadow in Yakima. She had sustained an injury to her back after a fall on Sept. 5th, 2020 and never fully recovered. She was in so much pain that our family felt blessed when her struggle was finally over. We are truly grateful for the kind and compassionate care she received from her nurses at Memorial Hospital and at the Cottage.

Lucy was born in Okanogan, WA on May 3rd, 1929 to parents George Clifton Ray and Mary Emily Allen. She was the youngest of 8 children, all of whom are now deceased: Juanita Yeary, Geneva Aumiller, Opal Laurent, Allen Ray and Violet Thompson, and also Edna Ray and Anabel Ray, both of whom died in childhood. Lucy would have soon celebrated her 92nd birthday and oh how she loved a party!

The Ray family moved from Oklahoma to the Yakima Valley during the Great Depression. Her mother was a hardworking woman making ends meet for her large family by selling ladies undergarments door to door. She later had a health food shop and luncheonette on N. 3rd street in Yakima. She passed away when Lucy was only 18 years old. Her father was a fun-loving man and a painter and wallpaper hanger by trade. He was sometimes absent from the family during those hard times. Lucy got her strength and determination and love of cooking from her mother, And her artistic abilities, along with her love of parties, telling jokes, and having a good time from her father. Lucy could entertain like no other. She would whip up a delicious meal, plan a skit, sing or dance or tell jokes all in the same evening. Parties at her house were renowned!

Lucy attended elementary schools in Yakima and Franklin Jr. High and Yakima High School. After high school she worked as an usherette at the Capital Theater. It was here that she fell in love with the glamour of the big screen and old movies which stayed with her throughout her life. In 1949 she married James King and they had 2 children, Kathy and Steven. Jim was a paratrooper in the Army stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Later settling back in Yakima. In 1952 Jim contracted polio and spent a year in an iron lung.

In 1964 she married Don J. Young and worked for him as a bookkeeper at Lundgren Dealers, which was a wholesale building supply company that he managed. She and Don became close friends with the owner of the company, Art and Lib Lundgren. They spent many summers on their yacht salmon fishing or vacationing in Hawaii. Later Lundgrens’ was sold to Evans Products and then in 1967 Lucy and Don purchased the company, renaming it the Don J. Young Co. It was expanded to become a busy pre-hung door shop employing over 25 people at 2 locations and selling millwork, doors, cabinets and garage doors to many homes and businesses throughout Eastern Washington. In later years the company sold doors, millwork and commercial hardware to retirement homes across the United States. When Don passed away in 1992. Lucy continued to sell and ship these products, teaching herself how to do the huge plan take-offs and estimating.

After their marriage in 1964 they purchased a large home on 5 acres in East Selah. The family grew to include Don’s 5 children, Brad, Dawn Ann, Jordan, Oleane and Marty, and Lucy’s 2, Kathy and Steve, and we all loved to call this home “The Big House!”

In 1970 she and Don built a new home on the same property. It was beautifully landscaped under Lucy’s artistic eye and became a showplace. She had the most bountiful garden and gorgeous flowers and she and Don always raised a few beef cattle and even race horses! She loved to garden and made her famous bread and butter pickles with cucumbers from the garden. They soon added a pool and cabana and the place became “party central” for the next 20 years. One memorable year was May 1981 when Mt. St. Helens blew. 12 happy party goers were stranded for the weekend and for many years afterwards they got together and celebrated the same weekend, calling it the “Ash Bash!” Pool parties were always a huge hit with the family, kids and grandkids. And the holidays were always spent at her home with sumptuous buffets being her speciality. She made everyone feel special, always entertaining and of course amazing us with her abilities and nonstop energy. After Don passed away in 1992 she continued to stay at the ranch and kept up her busy schedule at work and home.

In 1994 an old classmate from Yakima High, named Bob Kirk, gave her a call and out on a date they went. She spent the next 18 years with Bob as her very special friend. Again staying in her country home that she loved and managing much of the work herself. Along with the help of Francisco and Rosita who became her dearest friends. When Bob passed away in 2012 she was still not ready to leave the ranch.

But finally in 2015, after much persuasion from her daughter Kathy, she bought a condo at the perfect spot in Windcrest Villa. And yet again we turn to another chapter in her amazing life. Lucy absolutely loved living at Windcrest. Her hesitation of city life was soon forgotten as she made so many wonderful new friends. Her only regret was that she hadn’t moved in sooner. The condo was remodeled to suit her tastes and once settled in, she got to know as many of the folks as she could. Happy hour gatherings were immensely enjoyed by all when they got together at Lucy’s house or patio. Her love of gardening blossomed there and her yard was brimming with flowers. She had a vision of how the common area grounds and entry into the condominiums could be transformed and after her drawings were approved, work began on much needed new landscaping.

Lucy is survived by her daughter Kathy Winters (Buster) of Yakima, son Steven King of Tucson, AZ, step children Bradford Young of Vancouver, WA, Dawn Ann Hein of Yakima, Jordan Young of Kennewick, WA, Oleane Waters of Yakima, and Martin Young of Pacific City, OR; two granddaughters, Lisa Winters of Perth, Western Australia and Kristen Urlacher of New Orleans, LA; two great-grandsons, Brett Kiefel of Seattle, WA and Terren Urlacher of Brownsville, Texas; her step grandchildren are Gregory Young, Kevin Young, Mark Young, Nathan Hein, Jennifer Hein, Lesley Waters, Austin Waters and Kelly Yaden. Step great-grandchildren are Diego Young, Cruz Young, Madison Hein, Rylee Hein, Genevieve Hein and Kayden Vickers.

We wish to mention the dear ladies who helped her in her final months, Becky Briere and Rosita Mandragon. Thank you so very much for the care and kindness you showed Lucy. Her numerous and dear friends at the Windcrest Villas were always in her heart. Lucy made friends wherever she went and we will all miss her bright laugh, sparkling smile, quick wit and warm hospitality. To know Lucy was to experience her and to experience her was to love her. She was truly a unique person.

Visitation will be held at Keith & Keith Funeral Home on Saturday, March 6th, 2021 from 12:00 until 4:00 p.m. A private family ceremony will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 8th in the Chapel of Rainier Memorial Center in Terrace Heights followed by a graveside gathering at Terrace Heights Memorial Park in which all are welcome to join us. Masks and social distancing are required at the graveside and there will be no chairs available. The family wants to plan a celebration of life as soon as the COVID restrictions are lifted.

Donations in Lucy’s memory may be made to the Humane Society of Yakima. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.keithandkeith.com.