Thomas Earl Young, 93, passed away on Monday, April 3, 2023, following a fall at a Rehab Center in Topeka, Kansas. He was born and raised in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area.
He leaves behind his wife of 26 ½ years, Pamela J. (Leming) Young. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Duluth Young and Effie May (Ogden) Young, 2 brothers, Ralph Edward "Ed" (Ruth) Young and Charles Alan (Linda) Young.
He was previously married to Barbara D. (Barnett) Young who is deceased. They had one daughter, Cynthia A. (Michael) Uraine and one granddaughter, Makenna (Christian) Bastidas.
He was previously married to JoAnne C. Young, who passed in 1994.
Tom married Pamela J. (Wacker) Young on September 14, 1996. They enjoyed many activities together including camping in their motorhome with the FMCA camping club, square/round/line dancing and volunteering for the AT&T Telephone Pioneer Retirees Group in Topeka, KS. He also served as President of the Retirees group. He served for AARP during the legislatives sessions and later held the position of SW Operations Coordinator for the AARP Grief and Loss program.
He volunteered for Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church for their RCIA program and their Annulment program and was a 4th degree knight in the Knights of Columbus Council #534. Tom taught school in the Wichita, Kansas School District for 35 years as a physical education teacher. His love for kids and his teaching career brought him many rewards and fond memories. He served as President for the KNEA and NEA organizations.
He was active in the square and round dance communities and served as an officer or volunteer in most of the clubs that he belonged to, which included: Wheathearts, Shooting Stars and Shawnee Swingers, all in Topeka; Frontier Twirlers in Osawatomie; Ottawa Promenaders and TNT in Ottawa; Tonga Twirlers in Tonganoxie; Swingin' Singles in Kansas City, KS; Pistols 'N Petticoats in Kansas City, MO; Diamond Rounds in Overland Park; Friendship Rounds in Paola; Pomona Lake Rounds in Vassar; L&P Rounds in Tecumseh, NE Kansas Square Dance Assn., NE Kansas Square Dance Callers Assn., Kansas Square Dance Assn., Kansas Square Dance Callers Assn., Crady's Country Capers in Warsaw, MO; the Mid-America Round Dance Teachers Assn., in Kansas City, KS; and the Kansas Round Dance Assn.
He also served as an Officer and a Volunteer for both the 2008 National Square Dance Convention held in Wichita, KS and the 2018 National Square Dance Convention held in Kansas City, MO. Besides his activities of square dancing, he enjoyed assisting Pam in her teaching of round dancing around the community, golfing with his buddies, fishing and boating with family and friends.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, May 19, 2023 at Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church (MTCCC), 2014 NW 46th St., Topeka, KS 66618. A visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the church with a 10:00 a.m. Rosary led by the K of C Council #534.
Inurnment of Tom's cremated remains will follow Mass at Memorial Park Cemetery in the Cremation Gardens, 3616 SW 6th Ave., Topeka. Following inurnment there will be a dinner held at Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church.
Memorial contributions may be made in Tom's memory to Knights of Columbus Council #534, 2014 NW 46th Street, Topeka, KS 66618 or to Croco Square - Attn: Treasurer, 1521 NE Madison Street, Topeka, KS 66608.
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