Douglas Richard Young's Obituary
Douglas Young Obituary
Douglas Richard Young passed away Saturday, January 15, 2022, at the VA Medical Center in Oklahoma City. He was 76 years old.
Born on March 8, 1945, in Lubbock, Texas, Doug was the son of Carl H. and Aline C. Young. As Doug’s father was employed in the oilfield drilling industry, he spent the first twelve years of his life moving from town to town, school to school, following the drilling rigs with his family. The family lived in various locations in West Texas, New Mexico and North Dakota. Eventually his father transferred to the drilling company’s head office in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the family relocated permanently. After the age of twelve, Doug spent the rest of his life in the Tulsa area.
Doug graduated in the class of 1963 from Edison High School in Tulsa. He then enrolled at the University of Oklahoma majoring in English. Partway through his college years he enlisted in the US Army serving honorably for four years in Army intelligence, including time in Vietnam, Ethiopia and South Korea. After his time in the Army, he returned to Norman, Oklahoma to finish his degree.
After college, Doug returned to Tulsa and became interested in woodworking, which became a lifelong hobby, and horticulture, which became his profession. He obtained an Associate degree in Horticulture from Tulsa Community College and spent much of his life working for the City of Tulsa Parks and Recreation Department, notably at Gilcrease Museum and the Tulsa Zoo. He was proud of the expansive rock garden he created at Gilcrease and loved the opportunity to work closely with the animals at the zoo. Doug was a zealous reader his entire life, and in his later years, became an avid collector of books, in which he focused on collectable old books. He eventually turned his love of books into an online book business. Doug was also an excellent writer and had more than one letter-to-the-editor published in the Tulsa World. In his free time, Doug enjoyed listening to country music, playing with his cats and cheering on the OU Sooners.
Surviving family members include his sisters Suzzanne Stark (Jeff) of Connecticut and Mary Kushnir (Ken) of New Mexico; nieces Lizzie Oliphint (Kyle) of Texas, Anna-Liisa Nixon (Jared) of Connecticut, Kayla Vaughn of Tulsa; nephews John Young (Nicole) of Tulsa, Benjamin Joseloff (Taryn) of Connecticut, Mason Kushnir (Sarah) of Virginia, Kyle Kushnir of New Mexico; and eight great nieces and seven great nephews. Doug is also survived by his dear former wife, Carolyn Bridges of Tulsa, her daughter Shari Dabby (Jordan) of New York and their three children.
Doug is preceded in death by his parents Carl and Aline Young and his older brother Carl Young III.
A memorial service celebrating Doug’s life will be held at a later date.
Donations in Doug’s memory may be made to Gilcrease Museum, the Tulsa Zoo, or a tree may be planted in his honor.
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