Obituary of Barbara Young

Barbara Young, born August 7, 1947, passed into the spirit world March 12, 2021. She was a dear mother, grandmother, keeper of animals and plants and dear friend. She loved all living beings; especially her son, her granddaughters, her beloved dachsunds, the wolves at the wolf sanctuary and her gardens. Her dachshund's were carefully named to reflect the personality and love for each of them. Goofy, bubbly and genuine is how she has been described by her granddaughter. She had first-hand life experience in unjust suffering, neglect, and abuse from an early age and yet had gained wisdom and compassion for herself and others. Barbara was so creative and an artist of the impromptu with gatherings, food, sweats, gifts and always reaching out to include others. Barbara impressed us with her dedication to helping people suffering from mental health abuses. She was the consummate social worker reaching out to help people whether in prisons, overcoming addictions, or learning to love and accept themselves as unique individuals in a society that was not always loving and accepting. She always had a comfortable home and those cute little Weiner dogs. But most importantly, she just wanted to have fun with her grandkids. She made many friends in her Quaker groups and, with them, was an ardent pacifist. She was a lifeline to many people during tough times. We will miss her humor, her honesty, her storytelling and her spirit every day. Thank you, Barbara, for your kindness, generosity, and example of a life well lived.