Daily Sitka Sentinel

Wayne Young

Wayne arrived in Sitka 9/15/1959 to help with the mill start up. He was only 22 years old. He was born and raised in Everett, Washington.

After two weeks of solid sunshine, he fell in love with Sitka, and decided to make Sitka his home. He would always joke and say, “ then the real weather returned.”

Upon moving to Sitka, Wayne developed many years of strong bonded friendships with Bob Schell, Jerry Strelow, Alan Dill, Mike Hornaman, Oren Flolo, and many others, many who had all moved to Sitka in their early twenties starting their careers.

Wayne worked as a statistical director at the mill, and was employed until the mill closed in 1993, where he worked with his loyal side kick, Bonnie Richards for twenty plus years in the technical department.

After the ALPS Mill closed in 1993, Wayne worked as the local bailiff at the Sitka Court for seven years. He and his wife Nancy became process servers in 1999, and did this for seven years. Wayne did not enjoy serving people, but tried to say a kind word and treat people with dignity.

You would always find these group of guys having their weekends filled with fishing, hunting trips, snow mobiles, motorcycles, reloading, shooting, cooking parties in the kitchen, or “meetings” in the shed. 

Wayne was famous for giving people nicknames (whether you wanted it or not), and had his own sayings, that would bring a smile to everyone. We always meant to write the Wayne Young dictionary of words and songs. He was known for his wonderful sense of humor, and was famous for his remarkable pranks.

Wayne had a special knack for connecting with people of all ages. His children’s friends all loved him, and his house was always a place you find the young crowd gathering. Even during his final days at the house, many of his visitors where the younger guys who had just come to love/admire him. With the loss of his son, Tom, in 2004, it meant the world to Wayne how many of them continued their friendship with him.

Wayne also worked as an assistant guide/cook for his father in law, Ben Forbes, over the years, as needed on trips. Later in life, Wayne would say the only thing that he could shoot an animal with was a camera.

Nancy and Wayne have a houseful of animals. One of his biggest hardships during his struggle with cancer, was having to live in Washington during his treatments. He missed his animals, and also his two loving grandsons, Wayne and Jason Young.

He was extremely blessed with childhood friends where he grew up in Everett, Washington that opened their home during the last two years while he had months of treatment in Washington State. Marty and Ray we can’t thank you enough!

Wayne loved trading. His favorite saying, “ Bring your colored beads and glass”. Wayne’s specialty was mostly guns, as he collected them and was highly knowledgeable on the subject, but to sweeten the deal it could include cameras, pictures , computers, cars…amongst other surprises.

As we would say, he was one of the last of the good guys. He fought a hard battle with dignity and the gentleman that he always was. We will miss him dearly. 

Wayne was truly grateful to spend his last month at home which was only possible through the Home Health Agency and Dr Baciocco.

Survivors

Nancy Young (wife) Sitka

Melinda Young (daughter) Alan Abdill (partner) Maui, Hawaii

Tom Young (son) deceased , Leslie (wife) Wayne & Jason Young (grandsons), Sitka

Randy Marx, (stepson) Wasilla, Alaska, Savannah (daughter)

Anne Haggerty, (stepdaughter), Brian Haggerty (husband) Villa Hills, KY

Katie Unkraut, Jennifer Haggerty, Ben Haggerty (grandchildren), Villa Hills KY

Margo Young (David) brother’s wife, Everett, WA

Vickie Goverde (niece), Everett, WA

Jayne Puckett (niece), Everett, WA

David Young (nephew), Everett, WA

Mary Whitcomb (favorite mother-in-law), Sitka

Bruce and Betty Joe Whitcomb (brother and sister-in-law), Sitka

Joel Whitcomb (nephew), Sitka, Vivian (wife) Destiny (daughter) ORE 

Kelly Whitcomb Tincher (niece) Cliff Tincher (husband) Shane (son), Sitka

Loving animals: Buddy, Jenner, Kitkat, & Scharnhorst (Sugarbabe).