Many Thanks to Babo for this beautiful and thoughtful obituary that captured my sweet brother so perfectly!

John Toll Young Jr, affectionately known as Bumble, Bubba, Grampa Bumble, Bumble King, Johnny, Dad, or simply Bee, died peacefully at his home in Bethel on Tuesday, Nov 3, in the loving presence of his close family and friends.  He was 66 years old and had been treating metastatic kidney cancer for the past 2 years.

Strong and gentle in equal measure, John was widely loved in the community.  He was a dedicated and compassionate nurse, especially skilled in hospice and end of life care; an accomplished blacksmith; a devoted father, playful grandpa, attentive son, and a charming, wonderful friend whose calm presence and warm laugh could fill a room.   People seemed to relax around him and appreciate his unwavering kindness, quiet demeanor and subtle wit.  He will be deeply missed.

Born August 1, 1954 in the suburbs of Philadelphia, John was the middle child and only son to Mary Lee and Jack Young (Haverford PA). He was both athletic and artistic; at Friends Central School, he played on the football, basketball, and track teams, and discovered a lifelong interest in photography.  After graduation in 1973, John spent a year at the Baltimore College of Art, took a blacksmithing course at Philadelphia College of Art, before moving with friends to Tennessee in 1976.  There he met his first wife and in 1978 they relocated to Vermont and settled in Bethel to raise their family.

During his early years in Vermont, John honed his creative gifts as a blacksmith and founded a business, Age of Iron, specializing in decorative ironwork and custom pieces.  He travelled across Vermont and New Hampshire, selling his unique hooks and ironwork at craft fairs and gift shops showcasing local artists.  He also had an entrepreneurial spirit, inventing such “essential” wares as the Yankee Squirrel Feeder and the ever-practical self-massage tool known as the “Backball!”

As a single parent at age 36, John returned to school at Norwich University and embarked on a long and rewarding career in Nursing.  He spent 12 years working nights on the Neuro Special Care Unit at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, followed by 2 years working for the Visiting Nurses Association, where he discovered an innate talent for hospice and end of life care.   At Gifford Medical Center, John first worked in the Howell Pavilion inpatient unit, then transferred to Ambulatory Care where he remained until his retirement last year.  

While at Gifford, John pursued his interest in hospice and end of life care, completing national certification as a Palliative Care nurse, and helped to form Gifford’s Palliative Care team, focusing on the specific needs of dying patients and their families. He was an enthusiastic proponent of Gifford’s Last Mile Ride fundraiser and, though not a rider himself, enjoyed handing out t-shirts and greeting the riders as they came in.  John’s commitment to hospice and the medical, legal & spiritual issues surrounding death & dying was deep and heartfelt. During his final days and in hospice care himself, he remained a brave and passionate advocate for the right of dying patients to have a say in their own departure.

John loved his life in Vermont.  He took special pleasure tending to his large vegetable garden, tinkering in his blacksmith shop, hunting for treasures at thrift shops and yard sales, cooking vegetarian food, taking beach walks in summer or X-country skiing in winter, and gazing at the night sky any time of year.  He loved a good joke and the occasional clever prank.  Once when his kids were little, he famously woke them at 5 am, lunch bags in hand, insisting it was time for them to go to school (April Fool!)  Over the years, John and his partner Babo enjoyed winter escapes to warmer locales - like Mexico, St. Johns, Puerto Rico, and Carriacou – and found respite on the wild beaches of Cape Cod National Seashore as recently as six weeks ago.

Most of all, John adored spending time with and caring for his family.  To his partner, parents, kids, grandkids, sisters, cousins, good friends and colleagues near and far, he was a constant source of love and support, a lamp of basic goodness.

In addition to his parents Mary Lee and Jack, John is survived by his partner of 14 years, Babo Harrison; his children, Laamsha Young (Matt Culver) of Santa Cruz, CA, Eli Young of Boston, Shannah Young of Boston, and Jacoby Young (Erin Regan) of Randolph Center; his sisters, Christine (Al Gaspar) of Ardmore, PA and Martha Young (Richard Garrett) of Wellington, ME; his grandchildren – Asher, Bryn, Leila, Finna, Henry, and Bear Jackson – as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and their children.

The family plans a Celebration of Life later in the spring, when people can safely gather.  Contributions in John’s memory may be made to: Patient Choices VT, PO Box 671, Shelburne, VT 05482 or www.patientchoices.org/donate.  Please note gifts “in memory of John T Young Jr.”