STANDISH – Walter Everett Young, Jr., 74, died of natural causes September 24, 2020, in his home surrounded by loved ones. He was born March 11, 1946, in Portland, Maine, the eldest son of Walter Everett Young, Sr. and Dorothy Ella (Dowd) Young, both predeceased.
Walter graduated from Gorham High School, class of 1964, and Colby College, class of 1968. He received his MBA from The University of Maine in 1975. He married his high school sweetheart, Kathleen F. Martin, in 1966, and spent his remaining 54 years by her side. He remembered a recess game (like duck, duck, goose) where you throw an eraser at the person you want to chase you: he always threw it at her.
They settled first in Waterville, Maine, where Walter worked at Hathaway and where all four of their daughters were born. Work then brought them to Desoto, Texas, followed quickly by Thomasville, Georgia, where Walter worked for Warners, played softball and basketball, and acted as Knights of Columbus President at St. Augustine Catholic Church. Trips to see family in Maine continued, but involved driving through the night in the family station wagon, all four daughters stretched across the back.
Finally moving back north, they settled in Newtown, Connecticut, where Walter worked for Warnaco and Gerber Garment, sent four daughters to college, and grew passionate about the game of golf. After brief moves to Statesville, North Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida, and missing their family, they moved back to Connecticut and settled in Killingworth where they lived next door to three grandchildren and enjoyed watching them grow up. Only recently did they make it back to their beloved Maine.
Walter is survived by the love of his life, wife, Kathleen (Martin) Young; his children, Wendy Claveau and her husband Jean of Hallowell, Maine, Jennifer Delia and her husband Daniel of Newtown, Connecticut, Amy Kops and her husband Mitchell of Wallingford, Connecticut, and Rebecca Crowe and her husband Will of Christiansburg, Virginia; his brothers, David Young and his wife Cindy of Gorham, Maine and Paul Young and his wife Paula of Gray, Maine; his eight grandchildren, Maxwell, Emma, Lily, Daniel, Michael, Henry, Kate, and Grace; many loved brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews; and his dog Sunny.
Walter was a funny and kind-hearted man who loved to be surrounded by family and friends. He enjoyed horseshoes, cribbage, golf, hockey, civil war history, margaritas, the Yankees, and his wife’s cooking. He was great at trivia and loved silly jokes. He kept us laughing right up until the end, and even after the end. When we were going through his papers, we found a detailed note titled “life hack for drawstring pants.” Oh Walter, we love you and will miss you desperately.
There are no services planned at this time. If you’d like to do something in Walter’s memory, please think of him often and donate to The MDS foundation, mds-foundation.org/donate.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service, Buxton, www.mainefuneral.com