John L. Young

John was born September 22, 1945, in Altoona, PA, the son of the late Joseph Clair Young and Jane Shellenberger Young. He was a 1963 graduate of Altoona High School. Immediately after High School, he served in the U.S. Air Force, where he guarded missile silos in Lincoln, Nebraska.

He was a Good Humor Man in Washington, D.C., ran a furniture business in California, and was a regional salesman of Computers in both Pennsylvania and New York. Having a lifelong dream of becoming a writer, he entered college and graduated from Empire State College in New York with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. He was a reporter for the Jamestown Post-Journal.

He loved baseball and excelled at it. He was involved in Little League where his father was the coach. One of his greatest loves was watching his 9-year-old grandson play the sport that he loved so much.

John was a member of the Lander Community Church, and loved hiking. He was Vice President of the Allegheny Outdoor Club for 10 years. He was then President of the club for 10 more years. John eventually combined his love of hiking with that of writing to produce several books which are Falcon Guides for Rowman and Littlefield. He wrote “Hiking Pennsylvania,” “Hiking in the Poconos,” and “Best Hikes Near Philadelphia.” He is best known locally for his historical non-fiction works, “Unemployed No More,” “Murder at the Airport Inn,” “Murder in the Courtroom,” and “Pithole to Paradise,” the story of Ben Hogan, how the wickedest man in the world found God.

John is survived by his wife, Debra Durlin Young, whom he married in 1995; son Aaron J. Young of Jamestown, NY; daughter-in-law and mother of his grandson, Latasia Lemon Young of Jamestown, NY; one grandson, Cameron James Young; and brother James Young and wife, Billie of Matlacha, FL.

Friends will be received at Lander Community Church, 5582 Route 957, Russell, PA on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, from 12:00pm to 1:00pm, at which time a memorial service with military honors will be held with Dale McMillen, officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Lander Community Church or to the Allegheny Outdoor Club for trail work.

Those wishing to send online condolences may do so by visiting www.petersonblickfuneralhome.com.