John William Young, 80, of Shelton, entered into rest on Friday, November 27th, 2009, at CT Hospice in Branford.
Born in New Haven, October 23, 1929 to William and Florence Brown Young. John attended St. Joseph School in Shelton and St. Mary’s Academy in New Haven.
He served three years in the United States Navy, and upon his discharge attended Tri-State College in Angola, IN.
In 1960 John established Kimbill & Co., a publishing and marketing company, and wrote and produced ‘Names n Places’; a directory of people and places with an emphasis on historical data and points of interest in Shelton.
In 1963 Kimbill & Co. expanded to produce The Suburban News: Shelton’s first weekly newspaper; its banner read ‘Recording Tomorrows History Today’. Other publications were later added; The Country Courier, weekly news of Oxford, Southbury and Woodbury and The Valley Drummer, weekly news of Ansonia, Derby and Seymour.
The company also expanded to develop Etcetera, a graphics and typesetting division.
A tireless entrepreneur with many talents, John served as publisher, editor, sales manager and columnist until the company was sold in 1986 to the New Haven Register. He worked as a consultant for another year before retiring in 1987.
John was a lifetime member of ‘Tin Can Sailors’, VFW Chapter 1236 of Shelton, the Knights of Columbus, the American Legion, and the Huntington Historical Society.
He was listed in Who’s Who in America. An absorbing storyteller, his life’s experiences including his naval visits to five continents was the basis of his column ‘Second Thoughts’.
Always a chronicler of history, John felt a part of it having been on his destroyer, the USS Hyman, in Haifa Harbor the day Israel became a sovereign nation.
Survivors include his beloved children, Kimberlee Young and her husband Richard Frawley of Durham, William and Joy Young of Shelton, Kerri Young-Conaway of California, Kaycee Young-Wong of California and her husband Steve Wong, and his cherished grandchildren Jaimee and Jeffrey Dormer, Joshua, Jessica and Jacob Young, Christopher Reese, and Jonathan and James Wong.
He also leaves his companion of 45 years, Jean S. Walkinshaw, his former son-in-law Michael S. Dormer, his favorite cousin, Dorothy Mayo, and many friends.
Friends are invited to greet the family at the Riverview Funeral Home, 390 River Road, Shelton, on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m.
On Friday, his funeral procession will leave Riverview at 8:30 a.m. for a Mass of Christian Burial at 9 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church in Shelton.
Burial will follow at Mt. St. Peters Cemetery in Derby. Memorial contributions can be made to CT Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405.
If you are unable to attend, please offer condolences online at www.riverviewfh.com.
