Dr. Jamesmitchell Young

Dr. James Mitchell Young, age 85, died Sunday, October 9, 2005, in Topeka. Jim retired in 1989 from his last position at Washburn University, Vice President and Provost, and he served as a Topeka City Councilman for eight years, 1989-97.

Jim was born in Oxford, Kansas, in 1919, to Carl H. and Zella Mitchell Young.
He graduated from Oxford High School and then operated the family farm there for some years, before joining the Navy in 1945. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1950, and subsequently returned for a Ph.D. in Higher Education in 1971. He had a life long passion for education, and was a high school principal and superintendent before moving to Topeka and Washburn in 1957. He specialized in developing non-traditional education programs, including evening classes, television-based education, international education, and a number of specialized programs to serve community needs. Many former students whom he assisted in planning an education remember him.

Jim married Mildred Trimble Young in 1949, and she preceded him in death in 1975. He married Alice Adam Young, Dean of the Washburn School of Nursing, in 1977. He was blessed with two loving marriages of over 25 years each. He has three children; James A. Young, M.D. of Colorado Springs, Stephen G. Young, M.D. of Los Angeles, and Amy Young Malone of LaGrange, Ill. He has eight grandchildren, and many loving nieces and nephews. Three siblings, Amelia Belle, Carl, and Theodore predeceased him.

Jim's passions included Washburn and University of Kansas athletics, his church, gardening, walking, and travel. He was a loving companion for his pet Sheltie, Mitch. He was a member of the First Christian Church in Topeka for nearly 50 years, serving as an elder and leader in the church. Jim served in many volunteer roles and served on the board of many community organizations , including the Potwin PTA, Boy Scout Troop 7, Phi Delta Kappa, American Red Cross, Downtown Topeka Rotary Club, Shawnee County Health Agency, and many others. He was the founder of the Topeka Institute for Urban Affairs, which developed "Goals for Topeka" in 1984, envisioning public policy for the city. In recent years, he was a regular volunteer for Meals on Wheels.

In 1984, the United Way Campaign honored Jim with the "Super Citizen Award", and in 1995 he was recipient of the Velma Paris Humanitarian Award for Community Action in Public Policy. He was recipient of the Human Rights Award in November 2000, from the Korean Institute for Human Rights, Seoul, Korea.

A Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 15, 2005 at First Christian Church, Topeka, with Rev. Jan Keeler presiding. Dr. Young will lie in state after 2:00 p.m. on Friday, October 14, 2005 and the family will receive visitors from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel. Memorial Contributions may be made to the Washburn Endowment Association for the James M. Young Scholarship, 1700 College Ave., Topeka, KS. 66612, First Christian Church, 1880 Gage, Topeka, KS, or the the Midland Hospice, 200 S.W. Frazier Circle, Topeka, KS 66606.

To leave a special message for the family online, please visit www.PenwellGabel.com.