Dr. John Spencer Young Obituary (1940 - 2018)

Dr. John Spencer Young passed away on December 12, 2018 at home in South Jordan, Utah at the age of 78 due to the effects of myelofibrosis. John was born July 22, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York to Elmer R. and June S. Young. He was the oldest of seven children. He attended East High School, the University of Utah, and Northwestern University Dental School. John served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the West German Mission. He married Ilse Foerster in the Salt Lake Temple on August 28, 1964. After brief stays in Illinois and Louisiana, they settled in Salt Lake City, Utah. John opened Highland Dental Center in Sugarhouse and ran a highly successful dental practice, where he became an authority known for quality dentistry with a gentle touch. He served as chief of the dental staff at LDS Hospital from 1974-75. He loved his country and served in the United States Army and Army Reserve for three decades, retiring with the rank of full Colonel. He served as the commander of the 143rd Medical Detachment and was later a member of the 328th General Hospital. In 1990, he was deployed to Germany in support of Operation Desert Storm. Among other awards, he earned the Army Commendation Medal for distinctive service. John enjoyed and excelled in athletics. As a youth, he participated heavily in church basketball and softball and was an Intermountain AAU high school wrestling champion. He especially enjoyed playing on the church basketball team from Logan Square, Illinois in 1965, which took 4th place in the All Church Tournament and won the Sportsmanship trophy. He was also known for his competitive racquetball game, not to mention his knack for winning at Rook. John and Ilse served missions in Cameroon, West Africa and at the Heber Valley Camp. John’s church service also included callings such as high councilor and bishopric counselor, although he may best be remembered as Young Men’s basketball coach, a calling in which he gladly served many times. Not only was John a great athletic coach, he was a great life coach. He knew the secrets to joyful living and was often sought out for counsel and advice. John prioritized his family and was intentional in dedicating his life to serving and caring for them. Family memories of boating at Lake Powell, road trips in the motorhome, time at the family cabin, and cheering for the University of Utah’s football, basketball, and gymnastics teams, are all part of his legacy. John and Ilse were known for their well-matched partnership, which spanned 51 years. Two years after Ilse’s passing, John married Cheryl Lester Clarke in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple on December 19, 2017. Together they continued that same example of a devoted marriage that the Young household was noted for. Even though their time together was short, John and Cheryl shared a powerful bond. John is survived by his wife, Cheryl; his children, Scott (Allison), Dave (Jennilyn), Roger (Darlene), April Sorensen (Andrew), and Brian (Jenny), his stepchildren, Daniel Clarke, Michael Clarke (Brooke), and Hallie Bloomquist (Taylor), 21 grandchildren, and several others he claimed as his own. He is also survived by his six siblings, Lowell (Joan), Melvin (Joan), Margaret Petersen (Jim), George (Debbie), Richard (Jeanne), and Anita Hallman (Joe). A viewing is scheduled for Wednesday, December 19th, which is John and Cheryl’s first wedding anniversary, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Chapel, 1007 W. South Jordan Pkwy, South Jordan. An additional viewing will be held the following morning, December 20th, from 9:30 to 10:30 at the River Ridge 10th Ward chapel, 1409 W. Shields Lane (9800 South), South Jordan. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m. The family wishes to thank John’s medical team at the Huntsman Cancer Institute Hematology Clinic as well as the staff at HCI Cancer Care at South Jordan for the wonderful care they provided and for the extra years and quality they added to his life. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Dr. Elmer R. and June S. Young Family Endowed Scholarship at the University of Utah, care of Lindsay Nelson (lindsay.nelson@eccles.utah.edu), David Eccles School of Business, 1655 E. Campus Center Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112.