David Anderson Young

December 31, 2016

David Anderson Young passed away from cancer at his home in Murrayville, Georgia on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2016, at age 70. His memorial service was held on Saturday, January 14, 2017, at Grace Episcopal Church in Gainesville, Georgia. He is survived by his loving wife Audrey Duncan Young and their two children Barratt and Katharine, as well as four children from a previous marriage, Tracy Fields (Chris) from Powder Springs, Ga., David Young, Jr. (Melody), Rusty Young (Meghan), and Danny Young (Christine) all who live in Cumming, Ga.. David is also survived by his mother Loma Aline Anderson Young, who currently lives in Macon, Ga.; his sister Mary Loma Young from Oxford, Ga.; and two brothers Timothy Young (Joy) of Hydaburg, Alaska and Emmett Young (Peggy) of Macon, Ga.; grandchildren Julianna, Ella Cate, John Orison “Orry”, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

David was born and raised in Bainbridge, Georgia, December 27, 1946. He graduated from Bainbridge High School and attended West Georgia College in Carrollton, Georgia. David started to explore caves while at college, joining the West Georgia Grotto club when it was formed in early 1966. He was probably the first person in that club to join the National Speleological Society. In April 1966 there was an accident at Howard’s Waterfall Cave in Trenton, GA involving 8 boy scouts and 2 trip leaders. They were trapped due to a gas leak into the cave from a nearby gas station and their carbide lights set off an explosion. David and Rusty Mills were caving in the area, heard about the accident and went into this cave to assist in the rescue. They were overcome by carbon monoxide as were some other fellow rescuers – David and a couple of others were resuscitated but Rusty was one of three who died that day. They were later chosen by the Carnegie Foundation to receive the Carnegie Medal for Heroism.

It was David’s lifelong dream to join the Army, so he left college to do so, becoming a 5th Group Special Forces Green Beret. After an honorable discharge from the army he became a respiratory therapist and opened his own medical supply business. He had offices in Athens, Gainesville, and Toccoa, Georgia. He continued caving in the U.S. and Mexico, and was part of a team in July 1982 who set a world record rappel and climb on fixed rope on the west face of Mt. Thor (5,495 ft.), Baffin Island, Canada. He was a successful businessman and also owned a gun store and property in Macon, Georgia. After 27 years he sold all of his business enterprises and retired to his 210 acre farm in Murrayville, Georgia, having resided there for 28 years. He and Audrey enjoyed their Belgian horses, Quarter Horses, mules, beef cattle, dairy oxen, and Jersey cows. He enjoyed collecting horse drawn carriages, wagons, buggies, antique farm equipment, and even a Model T car and a Model A car. He loved the outdoors, working on mending fences, bush-hogging, log splitting, cutting and baling hay (some chores being done by horse power and mule power in his younger years), being a good steward of the land, and providing great care to all the animals he loved so much. He participated in horse shows, farm field days, parades, living history days.

David was an avid gun collector and history buff, enjoying his large and varied collection and his outdoor firing range. He would host some shoots at his range, the most famous being the annual “Fourth of July” shoot. He enjoyed the company of fellow gun enthusiasts and truly had “a blast” over the years.

Travels around the U.S., to Europe, and to the South Pacific were a big part of his life and he considered himself very fortunate to have experienced them.

The Young home was destroyed by fire in 2015 and he was in the process of building another farm house when he succumbed to cancer after a valiant year-long battle. He never gave up, always had hope, was attuned to all the little miracles in everyday life, was a devoted husband, loved his beautiful family and his many wonderful friends especially his boyhood best friend Arthur Priest. He was kind, thoughtful, generous, and helpful, worked hard, played hard, had a positive attitude, and thanked God each day for all the blessings in this life.

David will be greatly missed. His soul is now with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for eternity.

McDonald and Son Funeral Home, Cumming, Ga. was in charge of arrangements.