James Young

James Edward Young, 88, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, March 31, 2007, at Chateau Girardeau Health Center in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Aug. 21, 1918, in Crossno, Mo., son of John Sampson and Claudia O'Guin Young. He and Mary Elizabeth Caldwell Young were married Nov. 22, 1937, in Benton, Mo.

Young was inducted into the U.S. Navy in 1944. He was assigned to the USS Stoddard DD566. The Stoddard was in a unit of the Third Fleet off the coast of Yokohama, Japan, when the articles of surrender were signed on Sept. 2, 1945. Young served as a radioman for the Navy. He received the Victory Medal and the American Area ribbon.

Young worked for Potashnick Co. for 28 years. He later worked for Delta Asphalt for several years until his retirement. Young worked for several years with the Meals on Wheels program and was a former Mason and Sons of the American Revolution member. He was a member of La Croix United Methodist Church.

Survivors include his wife of Cape Girardeau; three daughters, Evelyn Wiethop and husband Dan of Cape Girardeau, Charlotte Slinkard and husband William E. of Tallahassee, Fla., Karen Ruth Lang and husband Donald of Cape Girardeau; a brother, Johnny W. Young of Memphis, Tenn.; two sisters, Francis Rhodes, Nina Sommers, both of Cape Girardeau; five grandchildren, Lynne Fitzsimmons, Kerry Lang, both of Cape Girardeau, Eric Wisner of Atlanta, Ga., Randy Slinkard of Mount Juliet, Tenn., Anne Lang of Bloomington, Ill.; seven great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Donald Ray Young.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

Service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home with the Rev. Ron Watts officiating.

Burial will be at Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau, with full military honors by the Missouri Honors Team.

Memorials may be made to the Children's Building Fund at La Croix United Methodist Church.

Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.