Richard Perry Young, long time resident of Tooele, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, Sept. 25, 2021, at the age of 80. He was born Feb. 7, 1941, in Brigham City, Utah, a son of Ida Perry and Silas Moroni Young. When he and his twin brother were about a year old, they moved to Tooele where their father was offered a position teaching chemistry at Tooele High School. Three sisters and a brother later joined their family. Richard was active in the band program and graduated from Tooele High School in 1959. He then attended Utah State University. In 1961 he was called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served faithfully in the Australian Mission. He loved his mission and the people he served. Upon his return he continued his education at USU.
After a short courtship and lengthy engagement, he married Laurel Hogan in the Salt Lake Temple June 15, 1967, where they were sealed for time and all eternity. The happy couple made their first home in Ogden but were only there one year when Richard was accepted into a computer programmer training course with the IRS in Washington, D.C., where they lived for three years. They returned to Tooele where Richard worked as a computer programmer at Tooele Army Depot for his entire career. He retired after 40 years of civil service in 2006. Richard and Laurel are the proud parents of five children: Perry, Michael (Missy), Marla (Robert Beech), Nathan (Katrina), and Trevor (Chelsie); 13 grandchildren and three great-grandsons.
Richard had a strong and immovable testimony of Jesus Christ. He served faithfully in many callings. He served as a ward and stake financial clerk for so many years he was convinced that was where he was going to stay. But in 1984 he was called to serve as a counselor in the Bishopric in the Tooele 7th Ward. Five years later he was called as the bishop. In 1994 he was released and called as a member of the Tooele North Stake High Council. In 1999 he was called as Patriarch and served for 19 years. His joy was giving patriarchal blessings to those prepared to receive them. He gave 821 blessings, including his grandchildren. Richard loved doing family history work and has found many ancestors for which to perform temple work. He and his wife served as temple ordinance workers in the Salt Lake Temple for 12 years.
Richard is survived by his sweetheart of 54 years, his five children and their spouses, their 13 grandchildren and three great-grandsons. He is also survived by his brother James (Carol Ann); and sisters Karen (Carl Christensen), Janet (Robert Everett); sisters-in-law Mary Ann Embry, and Patsy (Bradley Peterson). He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Joanne Gudmundson, and his twin brother Robert.
Funeral service will be held Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, at 11 a.m., at the Tooele 7th Ward, 1025 W. Utah Ave., with a viewing from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., and at Tate Mortuary Monday, Oct. 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. For those unable to attend the funeral in person, a live stream will be available at my.gather.app/remember/richard-young-2021.