Oliver (Wayne) Dewayne Young

Oliver Dewayne (Wayne) Young started his life journey on November 6, 1919 in Shannon County Missouri. Born the third son of George and Easter Odom Young. He entered his eternal home on the morning of January 25, 2018 as he had always wished, peacefully in his sleep. His time here was 98 years, two months and 19 days. Seventy-seven of those years were spent with the love of his life, Olive (Pitts) Young. As he told the story, they went on their first date and were together for the most part from that day on. They were married on December 18, 1940 in Mountain View, Missouri by Justice of the Peace, Wayne Duncan.

In early 1941, they travelled to California with Olive’s parents, Wayne and Willie Pitts, where they worked and lived on a ranch on Ryer Island. He loved to reminisce and tell stories about the ranch working with Frank and Uncle Walter and others. During a trip to Missouri for the funeral of Olive’s grandmother, their first son, Harold Dean was born. They later returned to California where they were blessed with sons Robert Eugene, Everett Dewayne, and Ronald Lee. An infant daughter, Helen Delores, was also born but did not survive.

The Army called upon Wayne to serve in 1944 during World War II. He served as a gunner and was stationed in several places across the United States including California, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Olive and the boys travelled with him and lived as near to him as possible during his service. He was honorably discharged on November 16, 1945. We all loved to sit and listen to him talk about his army days. He was older than most of the men he served with. His officers always chose him to do tasks that others struggled with. As he said, “I guess they used me for an example to show them young ones it could be done. It wasn’t anything hard to me because I grew up in the logging woods sawing and loading railroad ties.” The story always followed up by that famous giggle that we all loved. One of his favorite stories was about the day the war ended. He was on guard duty and could not join the celebration but the soldiers were all having celebratory drinks from their helmets. As he said, that was a real good day.

After being discharged from the Army, he and Olive and their family lived and worked in California for a few years. They travelled to Missouri for Christmas of 1948 to visit with Wayne’s folks. During that visit, they noticed that the Lee Randall farm was for sale. After speaking to and negotiating with Mrs. Randall, they purchased the farm where they have lived, worked, raised their family, and he called his home until his last day. Wayne loved working the farm with the boys and remembered fondly how all the neighbor boys, were there as much as his own. After the boys were grown, some of them moved on to live in other places and take on other careers but Harold Dean shared Wayne’s love for farming. They worked together, side-by-side daily, on their farms for well over sixty years.

During the 1950’s he and Olive went into the restaurant business in Summersville. They made many lifetime friends and countless memories during their many years serving up a hot cup of coffee, a home cooked meal and a good conversation with the residents of the area. They officially retired from the restaurant in 1976 but continued to be a fixture in the family business as Dean and Myrtle carried on the tradition.

Even though they had firmly planted roots, Wayne and Olive always loved to travel. They would take off across county in their pickup and camper often with no specific route, just a destination. He thoroughly enjoyed hunting and fishing with his kids and grandkids. He was kind and considerate to all he came in contact with and never met a stranger. “We worked hard but we enjoyed our life and did the things we wanted to do”, he said often when reflecting back.

That is a good definition of his life. He worked hard, took time to enjoy the good things, served his country, raised a family who loves and respects him, and cared for the woman he loved until he left this world. A life well-lived indeed. A life to be proud of. He will be sorely missed.

Those family members who were awaiting his arrival in heaven are his parents, George and Easter Young; his father-in-law and mother-in-law whom he loved as his own parents, Wayne and Willie Pitts; his brothers Lawrence Young, Leland Young, Elzie Young, Ollie Dean Young and Roland Young; his brother-in-law Clyde Pitts and his wife Pauline; his sister-in-law Beulah Pitts Young; infant daughter, Helen Delores; son, Robert Eugene (Bob); son, Everett Dewayne and his wife Geraldine.

Along with countless friends and neighbors, nieces and nephews, Wayne leaves to celebrate his life his wife Olive Pitts Young of the home, children; Harold Dean and wife Myrtle Young of Summersville, Missouri, Ronald Young of Pittsburg, Missouri, grandchildren: Cheryl Pringle, Deana Young, Shelly McNew (Kenny), Keith Young (Mary), Shawn Young (Laura), Bobbie Jo Cobble (Toby), Jeff Young (Terri), Robert Scott Young (Elaine), Jackie Lee (Darrell), Anthony Young (Cheri),

Great-grandchildren: Kristin Kissee (Nick), Andrea Shatswell (Micah), Dylan Pringle, Kyli McNew (Wyatt), Bayli McNew (Austin), Ryan Young, Adam Cobble (Mackenzie), Jase Cobble, Brandon Young, Brittany Young, Brookelyn Cooper, Maddison Cooper, Noah Lee, Stetson Lee, Joshua Young, Meagen Jenkins, Emily Young; brother Cordell Young of West Point, California and sister Marjorie Neagel of Summersville, Missouri; ten great-great grandchildren and twin great-great grandchildren soon to be born.