The National Geographic Society was founded in 1888 with a mission to "increase and diffuse geographic... moreThe National Geographic Society was founded in 1888 with a mission to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge." As one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations, the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet.
We created a memorial to celebrate the life of John "Jack" Joseph Young. Collecting your stories and memories here will offer us great comfort. Thank you for contributing to this lasting memorial.
OBITUARY
Jack never met a stranger as he walked many paths through life. Each one of us have shared in his warmth, humor, and generosity throughout the years. He is missed but we can each continue to carry his light forth into the world.
Jack was truly an adventurous man, right up until his last days. His quest for new horizons was never hampered by physical location, but he would explore new places any time he had a chance. Jack was always reading books, usually subjects that were... moreJack was truly an adventurous man, right up until his last days. His quest for new horizons was never hampered by physical location, but he would explore new places any time he had a chance. Jack was always reading books, usually subjects that were intellectually demanding and expanding. He always had a subscription to National Geographic and would pour over the pages and stories with his kids from a young age. A favorite memory of mine is watching Jack sit and read NG with his children. Discussing and enjoying the descriptions of people and cultures all over the globe. Inspired by these special excursions with her dad, Leah would almost always stake a claim to the maps inside the monthly treasure and her bedroom walls were covered with them for years.
He also loved to listen to NPR and he would listen to his favorite programs without fail. Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy was one and again, the kids were always surrounding him in complete silence and focus as the whole family would savor the stories. He would also read books by the hours to his children. He read them the entire Narnia series. Night after night while I was in college, they would read the chapters and books. They would tell me the next day about the adventures in Narnia from the night before. I have no doubt that these precious moments and hours, days, weeks, months and years imprinted on their young minds a love of learning, exploring and sharing. I am so grateful that he was able to give this priceless gift to them.
In the early days, before we started our family, I asked Jack to take me up into the mountains of Big Sur which were near where we met during our college years. He agreed without hesitation even though he had never camped in his life. With just backpacks, very basic cooking equipment, flashlights and matches we took off into the rugged mountain landscape. I was very afraid a few times, but never doubted that he would know what to do and that he would protect me. He had a hatchet for chopping wood, a swiss army knife that he was incredibly proud of, and a buck knife that he would wear on his belt in a case. He was quite a handsome mountain man in his day. With his long hair flowing over his brown shoulders, it was easy to be smitten.
Our second summer together took us and our two dogs, Prima and Strider, to the mountains and rivers further north. We camped on the Feather River, the American River, Trinity River and took off up into the Sierra's where we would spend cool days by a lake. Jack always had his books, thick paperbacks of weighty subject matters, and I had my embroidery. Mostly I sewed flowers on our clothes that were inspired by the colors around me.
Not ready to settle back into a peaceful life in Pacific Grove where our idyllic home on a full acre, one block from Asilomar Beach awaited us, we loaded up Jack's 49 GMC pickup truck and headed for Mexico. Once again, I told him how much it would mean to me to go exploring down there and without a moment of hesitation, he began to plan our trip. Jack was full of surprises and ingenuity and I was often skeptical but seldom said no. Somewhere, he found a large frame for a canvas cover like you would find on a covered wagon. He rigged up his truck to hold that frame securely on the back. It was really tall and must have looked quite comical but I thought it was brilliant at the time. He fitted a giant canvas tarp over it and built a platform in the bed of the truck with compartments where we could stash away our clothes and supplies and his tools. Jack never had any training at that point in life for how to work on engines or any part of an automobile. He never even had a male role model growing up to watch or learn from. He was completely undaunted. With a toolbox full of basic auto mechanic tools and a how-to book, he was ready to ride and take on the world - unknown as it was.
I could write a book about our adventures in Mexico which were sometimes harrowing but we made it back safe and sound. Immediately upon returning to Pacific Grove, some friends invited us to follow them in their camper-trucks to Washington state where they were going to pick apples for a month or so. Off we went and it was on the Methow River in the Yakima Valley that we conceived McGee. Our adventures continued, but were gradually shaped by the joy and excitement of being parents. Jack took to his role of being a father with all of his children as naturally as he took to hiking mountains, swimming icy-cold rivers and palling around with Mexicans.
The mutual love and adoration that he and his children shared was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I could write a book about each of our children that we had together and the beauty of their relationships with Jack. In the final weeks of his life we reminisced about those times and I thanked him for those experiences. No one is a perfect parent and most of us go into parenting knowing that we will make mistakes and fall short of our own expectations. Like all the other adventures that Jack took on in his life, he approached parenting with all he had and he grew tremendously in the process. I am forever thankful for the 20 years of marriage and 47 years of friendship we shared. Most of all I am thankful for the children that we have together and for sharing the adventure of parenting them with him. Jack is in my heart forever and I look forward to seeing him again someday. less
A memory I have of Grandpa Jack is the time we were leaving Utah and he said, "The thing I enjoyed most about this trip was all the times you called me Grandpa Jack." --Elizabeth Granger
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