George Alton Younce

George Alton Younce, 67, died Oct. 28 at Hospice at The Chaplaincy in Kennewick with his wife and two sons at his side.

He was born March 2, 1941, in Deep Gap, N.C., to Dallas and Reta Younce. He loved in the Tri-Cities since 1963, working at the DOE Hanford site with General Electric and Battelle. He retired from Battelle in 2001 as a senior instrument technician.

He spent his adolescent years in Union, graduating from Union High School in 1961.

George was a quiet man, never speaking a mean word about anyone. He touched the lives of many and will be dearly missed by all whose life he touched. He was known as "Papa George" by his grandchildren and "Grandpa George" to many neighborhood and 4-H kids. It brightened everyone's day when George would feel well enough to go outside on his John Deere Gator and watch the kids ride their horses. Since George retired in 2001 he began collecting and restoring antique tractors, with John Deere being his favorite. H would bring home "junk tractors" and have them running in no time. He could talk for hours about tractors. When he was feeling better he could always be found out in his shop, with his dog Buddy at his side, working on tractors or out driving his John Deere tractor, which he inherited from his father. In earlier years George loved to fish and hunt. Thanks to his great friend, Clint, George got to go trout fishing one last time this summer, using his antique fly rod that Clint refurbished for him.

George is survived by his caring wife, Toby Younce; five children including, Mark Younce, Byron Younce and wife, Jamie, of Kennewick; Cindy Younce of Portland; Geoffrey Cseh of Clarkston, Wash., Jennifer Cseh of Spokane; his mother Reta Younce of La Grande; his sister, Brenda Gray and husband, Don, of Union; plus eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and all the children in his neighborhood who also thought of him as their honorary grandpa. George was preceded in death by his father, Dallas Younce, and his brother, Larry Younce.

At George's request, there will not be a funeral service. Instead George asked that his family have a party to remember him with happiness and joy, rather than sadness. There will be a potluck "Going Away" party to celebrate Papa George's life on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in George's shop, 4506 South Bermuda Road, Kennewick, 99338. Dress will be "Carhart casual". Bring a lawn chair and a potluck dish to share. There will be time to share stories, thoughts and pictures of George after lunch.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to either Hospice at the Chaplaincy, 2108 W. Entiat Ave., Kennewick, WA 99336-3000, or Tri-Cities Cancer Center, 73550 West Deschutes Avenue, Kennewick, 99336-7802.

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