BAR HARBOR – Richard Dana Young passed away unexpectedly Sept. 18, 2009, surrounded by family members at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital, Ellsworth. He was born Aug. 2, 1926, in Ellsworth, the son of Dana H. and Lillian J. Young. A Bar Harbor native, Dick graduated from Bar Harbor High School and attended the University of Maine. He served his country during World War II, 1943-1946, in the U.S. Army Air Force. He and his mother opened a restaurant, Dick’s Luncheonette, while in high school, later called Colonial Restaurant. He worked as a mechanic for Morrison’s Chevrolet, Bar Harbor and Ellsworth. In 1948 Dick started a career with the Department of Interior as a fire control aid at Beech Mountain; he then was an auto mechanic instructor for Job Corps at McFarland’s Hill. He transferred from Bar Harbor to Chalmette, La., in 1969 to serve as a ranger, interpreter and maintenance supervisor, and transferred to Fire Island, N.Y., in 1973 to serve as buildings and utilities supervisor, returning to Bar Harbor as chief of maintenance at Acadia National Park in 1978 until his retirement in 1986. After his retirement he worked as maintenance supervisor for Atlantic Eyrie Lodge, Bar Harbor. Dick loved hunting, fishing and playing golf with his friends, and working in his own shop, where he made furniture and wooden toys. His greatest joy was spending time with his family, the center of his being. He was a member of Bar Harbor Congregational Church, one of the directors of Ledgelawn Cemetery and a past member of Bar Harbor Odd Fellows. He was a member of the American Legion, where he played bugle with the Drum and Bugle Corps that won first place in the state championship in the early 1950s. Dick was a devoted, faithful and loving husband, father, grandfather, son, uncle and friend. He will be sorely missed by his wife of 59 years, Vernice Cousins Young; daughters, Marilyn Ertz and husband, John, of Virginia and Wanda Young of Bar Harbor; a very special granddaughter, Emily Dawn Ertz of Virginia, who loved her Bampa very much; sister, Sylvia Cough of Bar Harbor; sisters-in-law, Thursa Sawyer of Charlotte and Alta Cousins of Baring; brothers-in-law, Charles Cousins and wife, Rowena, of Princeton and Allen Greenlaw of Alexander; several nieces and nephews; and his Downeast hunting buddies and special friend, Brad. He was predeceased by his parents; and a sister, Judith Dawn Young. Calling hours will be held 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, at Jordan-Fernald, 48 Eden St., Bar Harbor. A funeral service will be held 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at Bar Harbor Congregational Church, 29 Mount Desert St., Bar Harbor, with the Rev. Dr. Sandra Reed officiating. Interment will be afterward at Ledgelawn Cemetery, Bar Harbor. Contributions in Dick’s memory may be made to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of New England, 175 Ammon Drive, Suite 201, Manchester, NH 03103 or online at www.jdrf.org/maine. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com.
RICHARD DANA YOUNG
