David Lee Younger, born on April 26, 1938 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, to the late Victoria Margaret (née: Brownstein) and the late Edward Francis, passed away at age 80 on February 20, 2019 at Hospice House of Union County in Monroe, North Carolina, following a hard-fought battle with congestive heart failure.
Dave graduated from Glen Burnie High School in 1956 and began a career with the US Postal Service. Drafted in 1961, he served in the Army and was stationed in Korea for two years. Following his military service, Dave remained active in the Army Reserves while he resumed his career as a letter carrier. For four years before his retirement in 1992, he worked as a grievance adjudicator for the US Postal Service. David also served many years as union president of Branch 4422 of the National Association of Letter Carriers, working to improve conditions at the post office.
An avid athlete, David played many sports throughout his life --- soccer, volleyball, bowling, softball, baseball, football, and lacrosse. He earned a full lacrosse scholarship to Johns Hopkins University but declined attending college to take care of his mother. Dave even played football as a linebacker for the semi-professional Baltimore Eagles in the 1960s, but his career was sidelined by injury.
In 1964, it was on the volleyball court that Dave met Patricia Ann (née Lawrence), his love and best friend of 55 years, when he knocked her down during a match. He always recounted the tale of how they met by explaining that he knocked Pat off her feet. On their first date on January 10, 1965, Dave’s car hit a bump and the radio stopped working – he then sang to Pat during the entire drive to Annapolis. Dave co-owned a bar, The End Zone, on Washington Boulevard in Baltimore from 1968-1974 with one of his football buddies, and Pat could be found catching bottles that Dave tossed to her after closing time. He and Pat were married on December 31, 1976.
Dave was preceded in death by his parents, Victoria and Edward; brothers, Edward Francis (Nell) and Leonard Caesar (Rosemary); sister, Renee Arline Hay (Derald); and best friend and business partner, Walter "Choo-Choo" Gentry. He is survived by his loving wife and partner Patricia; daughters, Victoria ("Tori") Elizabeth and Theresa Caroline Mankowski (Tomek); granddaughter, Karolina Helena; and brother, Dennis Gerard (MaryAnn). He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews, countless friends, several in-laws (lovingly called "outlaws"), and his grand-dog, Lexi.
A private cremation interment on Friday, March 15, 2019 will be held at Salisbury National Cemetery in Salisbury, NC. As befits a veteran, David will have present an honor guard to play Taps and to present the United States flag to his survivors.
Memorial gifts can be made in Dave's name to the American Heart Association. Special thanks is given to the staff at Hospice of Union County for making Dave more comfortable in his final days.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18