Kenneth "Gordon" Young

Kenneth Gordon Young, 74, of Cove, OR died on March 13, 2008 at the Grande Ronde Hospital of heart failure. He was born in Baker City, Oregon on May 24, 1933 to Fred and Laura Ackerman Young.

He lived in Sumpter, Oregon during his childhood and completed his junior and high school education in Baker City. He also completed a Bachelor of Science degree at Eastern Oregon University and a Master of Arts degree at Colorado State University. He served in the Navy from 1953 to 1957, primarily in the Pacific. He later taught English for the University of Maryland Overseas Program traveling throughout Europe and Asia. He then taught literature and creative writing and served as Chair of the English and Foreign Language Department at Portland Community College. He retired to Cove in 2001.

Gordon was keenly interested in classical music and enjoyed playing the piano during his young adulthood. He was an extensive reader who took great pleasure in becoming well informed in local, national, and international affairs. He also enjoyed sailing his boat with friends and his dogs Hanzi and Tigger on the Columbia River and was also interested in geology. He particularly enjoyed being with his family members and took pride in helping publish his father's book "Home in the Blues."

He is survived by his sister Louise Young Van Schoonhoven and her husband John of Cove, sister-in-law Marion Young of Idyllwild CA, brother-in-law Charles Gildersleeve of Spokane WA, as well as five nieces, a nephew, and many cousins.

His father, mother, brother Paul Young, and sister Kay Gildersleeve preceded him in death.

Gravesite services will be held at the Cove Cemetery on Saturday, May 24, 2008 at 1:00 p.m.

Donations may be made in honor of his niece to the Susan Michelle Van Schoonhoven Scholarship Fund for the Conflict Transformation Across Cultures (CONTACT) Program at The School for International Training. Checks can be made to "CONTACT Program" and mailed to: SIT, PO Box 676, 1 Kipling Road, Brattleboro, VT 05301. The phone number is 1-800-257-7751 and the website is www.worldlearning.org. Friends and relatives may also sign the guest registry online at danielsknopp.com.