Earnest Young

Earnest Mack Young was born on July 2, 1945 and passed away December 25, 2023 at the age of 78. He was born and raised in Wetumka, Oklahoma by Gladys Evelyn and Edgar Young with eight siblings. He graduated from Wetumka High School in 1964. During high school, Earnest was the Drum Major and led the band during every game. After high school, he attended Central State University – now University of Central Oklahoma – where he met the love of his life, Sue Morgans, and earned a degree in Education. After graduating, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and was stationed at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware where he and Sue married on October 25, 1968. Earnest faithfully served his country including serving in Viet Nam where he experienced the tragedy of war that impacted him for many years. When Earnest returned to the United States, he and Sue settled in Owasso, Oklahoma to raise their family near her parents’ dairy farm. Earnest began his professional career as a history teacher at Claremore High School in Claremore, Oklahoma before moving on to utilize the transportation specialist skills he learned in the military. Most of his professional career was spent in purchasing and transportation, but he also worked as a travel agent for American Airlines Vacations before retiring. Throughout his life, Earnest faithfully served the Lord. He was a minister for a few different churches as part of the Assembly of God church organization and later moved to non-denominational churches. He and Sue also served as missionaries in Moscow Russia and Minsk Belarus. In 2014, Earnest conquered cancer and then suffered a fall that caused him to become paraplegic. Through incredibly hard work and determination, he eventually regained the use of his legs and the ability to walk. As a young child, Earnest fell in love with music. He would sneak into the local church through the window and teach himself to play the piano and other instruments. He could play almost any instrument he picked up and any song he heard without sheet music. Earnest had a beautiful voice and enjoyed singing at church. He was part of a gospel quartet that traveled around to different churches singing. He loved watching parades and regularly indulged in ice cream sundaes after dinner - often convincing his grandchildren to join him. Earnest also loved to shop – even if he didn’t buy anything. He particularly enjoyed his weekly “shopping day” trips with his granddaughters. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, with Christmas Eve being an especially important day to him. Earnest was able to enjoy a final Christmas Eve surrounded in love with his family. Earnest is survived by his wife Sue, son Jason and his wife Shannon, daughter Lori Shaw and her husband David; grandchildren JJ Young and his partner Nikki Mongold, Keaton Phillips and his fiancé Leilani Ramento, Emily Jackson and her wife Jesslyn, Mackenzie Shaw, and Macy Shaw; great grandchildren Colton Burrell, Colter Young, Graham Jackson, and Kaila Ramento; one brother, Larry Baldwin, four sisters Janet Maldia, Janey Crelia, June Stufflebeam, and Dreama Burns; sister-in-law Rosemary Young; many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents Edgar Earn Young and Gladys Evelyn Young; in-laws Billy and Elizabeth Morgans; brothers Howard Baldwin and Othel Young; sister Maedean Byrd; brothers-in-law Ernesto Maldia, Bob Crelia, Les Stufflebeam, Tim Burns, and James Byrd; and sisters-in-law Wanda Baldwin and Robbie Baldwin. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, December 28, 2023, at Mowery Funeral Service in Owasso. Funeral service will be held 10:00 a.m. Friday, December 29, 2023, at the Mowery Funeral Service Chapel with Pastor Jolie Blankenship officiating. Committal service and interment will follow at Graceland Memorial Park Cemetery in Owasso. The family requests memorial contributions be made in Earnest’s memory to the Owasso VFW Post #7180, P.O. Box 1482, Owasso, Oklahoma, 74055, or to Clarehouse, 7617 South Mingo Road, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 74133, or www.clarehouse.org . Arrangements and services were entrusted to Mowery Funeral Service of Owasso. www.moweryfs.com

Earnest Young

July 2, 1945 - December 25, 2023