Letha Mae Young Savage

On February 6, 1941, Letha Mae Young Savage entered this world in Linden, Texas. She was welcomed into the world by her loving parents Raymond Young and Maggie Sheppard Young. She attended Mt. Moriah Baptist Church. It was at Mt. Moriah where she would begin her lifelong commitment to Christ. Letha attended Fairview High School. In 1958, she received her diploma. Not long after graduation, she left Linden, Texas for San Francisco, California with just her “little blue suitcase.”

San Francisco was a whole new world for her. She once ordered a Dr. Pepper in a diner, and the waitress looked at her like she was crazy. Dr. Pepper hadn’t made it out to California at that time. She attended Tree of Life Baptist Church with Reverend Banks and his wife Mrs. Banks. Letha also recalled a time where she was coming home from work on the bus with a lot of screaming teenagers. These screaming teenagers were returning home from the Beatles concert at the Cow Palace. She would work at various healthcare facilities in San Francisco. At one of these facilities, she would meet and eventually marry Eddie Savage. From their union, their only child Darrell was born. Sometimes things don’t work out as planned, but Letha and Eddie remained friends until her passing.

In 1977, Letha would leave the home in San Francisco she shared with her sister Zonia and brother-in-law Bob, so she and Darrell could be closer to her place of employment at Agnews Developmental Center as a Psychiatric Technician. Unfortunately, the landlord decided to sell the home with very little notice. Letha was very disappointed, but she picked herself up and decided to purchase her own home. In February 1981, the dream of home ownership came true. A neighbor once stated Letha was the only woman he knew that bought a home by herself. She would live in that home until her passing on June 25, 2025.

Letha embraced the lesson her father Raymond taught her. She was taught if a relative needed a place to say, let them in. Many relatives at one time or another have stayed in Letha’s home. One person who came to live in her home was her nephew John. She raised him like he was her own son. John went on to graduate high school and later college.

As a child, Letha dreamed of traveling. Once the opportunity arose, she really would travel. She has been all over the United States. Internationally, she has traveled to Vancouver, BC, Canada, Germany, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic), the Bahama’s and Jerusalem. On the way to Jerusalem, she had a short layover in Italy. However, her favorite place to travel was Linden, Texas so she could see her parents.

Baking was an activity Letha excelled in. She baked various cookies, cheesecakes, pecan pies, sweet potato pies and various candies. She would also make plum jelly from the plum tree in the backyard. Letha also loved antiques and figurines. She collected cookie jars, All God’s Children Figurines, vases, old record albums, and many items that reminded her of her childhood. Darrell tried to persuade her from buying so many antiques, but she would say “this might be worth money someday.”

A few years after retiring from Agnews Developmental Center in 2005, her health began to fail. Letha battled many illnesses, but she would not give up. She fought the bravest battle anyone could imagine. Sadly, on June 25, 2025 God decided the plan he had for Letha’s life was successfully completed. She passed away peacefully in her own home with family and friends. She will now be reunited with her parents Raymond Young and Maggie Lee Sheppard Young, four baby siblings place when she’s brought through Heaven’s Gate and they’ll all be waiting to welcome her home.

She leaves her loving son Darrell Savage, special nephew John Young, her dear sisters Zonia Olsen, Amilene Young Townes with her husband Robert, Jane Young Fondal, brother Johnny Young and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends to live out her legacy. Very big shoes to fill.

“ Do what is right, not what is easy.” (Letha Savage)

Family and friends are invited to attend a viewing for Miss Letha Mae on Friday, July 11, 2025 starting at 12:00 PM being held at Lima Family Erickson Memorial Chapel, located at 710 Willow Street, San Jose, CA 95125. The funeral service will begin at 1:00 PM, being officiated by the Reverend R. G. Moore, III . We will lay Miss Letha Mae to rest, following the service at Oak Hill Memorial Park located at 300 Curtner Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125 starting at 3:00 PM.