Allen Wayne Young

Allen Wayne Young passed away on February 20, 2024, at the age of 95, at his home in
Sacramento, CA. He was born on January 20, 1929, in Wood River, IL. Dad was the firstborn son
of James Laurel Young and Ada Sidney (Turner) Young and grew up in Palmyra, IL, along with his
siblings, Joseph Leonard and Sidna Darlene.

Upon graduating from high school, he worked at Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company in
Springfield, IL, before enlisting into the military. He joined with his three friends (Richard Stults,
Harry Holmes, and Junior Allen) in September 1950. Although the recruiter promised they would
be assigned together, they soon received their assignments to diVerent parts of the world. Dad
served in the U.S. Air Force for close to 30 years beginning with his basic training in Florida and
then serving in assignments that took him to a wide variety of bases: Ashiya AB, Kyushuu, Japan;
Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX; Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, AK; McCoy AFB, Orlando, FL; Clark
AFB, Manila, Philippines; Scott AFB, Belleville, IL; Yokota AFB, Fussa, Japan; Loring AFB,
Limestone, ME.

Dad met the woman who became his wife, Mitsue Mineo (our mother), when she was working in
a market in Yokohama when he was first stationed in Japan, back in 1953. He said “she was the
most beautiful girl I ever saw.” They married on July 7, 1954, just before being was transferred to
Ashiya AB in Kyushuu, where their first daughter, Jeanne, was born. And subsequently, after
being transferred to San Antonio, TX, Mary and James were born.

Upon Dad’s retirement from the Air Force in 1978, Dad and Mom (“Judy”, as he called her)
eventually chose Sacramento as their final home. He continued working with the military as a
civilian at McClellan and Mather AFBs in Sacramento and took great pride in being an integral
member involved with the Global Positioning System (GPS) team for many years. He was also
very proud to be an active duty member of the USAF, dedicating nearly his entire life to the
military, and maintained his strict work ethic in his group at the base as well as at home. He was
devoted to upholding his military duty and role.

On a personal level, he loved working on cars, and pretty much anything electrical. As kids
growing up in the 1960s, we watched him get regularly shocked when trying to fix the black &
white TV especially when he had to replace a tube. The familiar sound of the hum from the
electrical current, the drop of the screwdriver, and then his loud cursing was a common event,
as he eventually got the TV working again.

Allen Wayne Young, our father, is predeceased by his wife, Mitsue “Judy” and their eldest
daughter, Jeanne Louise. He is also predeceased by his younger brother, Joseph Leonard Young,
and nephews, Joseph Leonard, Jr., and Donald Allen. He is survived by second daughter Mary
Ellen, and son, James William; granddaughters Ayano Shindo, Claire Young; and grandson
Takuya Ishikawa. He is also survived by his younger sister Sidna Darlene Young of Springfield, IL,
nephew Brian Sr., grandnephew Brian Jr., and nephews Michael Leroy and JeVrey, nieces
Deborah Rae, Janet Sue, and Shelia Ann; as well as cousins and friends who share many
memories of him.

Funeral service will be held at gravesite on March 8, 2024, at 1:00 p.m., East Lawn Memorial
Cemetery with military honors and family remembrances.