PHILLIP “PHIL” G. YOUNG July 21, 1937 – Feb. 10, 2017
Phillip “Phil” G. Young, Jr., 79, our beloved husband, father and grandfather passed away on February 10, 2017. Phil was born on July 21, 1937, in Beeville, Texas, to Phillip (Sr.) and Allie B. Young.
He was raised in Refugio, Texas with his brothers and sisters, Allie, John, Martha “Moye” and Michael Young. Through his early school days, playing football and baseball, Phillip proudly represented the Refugio Bobcats, and he spent time alongside his father, Phillip Young, Sr., in his work as a civil engineer and land surveyor.
Phil went on to the University of Texas, Austin, where he received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Physics. While there he met his future wife, Kay, and they were married on September 2, 1960. After earning a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics from the Australian National University in 1965, Phil joined Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he worked for over 30 years and achieved accolades for numerous contributions in his field, including an Award of Excellence from the DOE Nuclear Weapons Program, and the Los Alamos National Laboratory Distinguished Performance Award in 1986. In 1993 he was named a Los Alamos National Laboratory Fellow.
In addition to his wife Kay, Phil is survived by his son Michael and wife Diane; daughter, Katie and her husband C.J. Pierce; daughter, Patty and her husband Bill Blake.
A devoted father, Phil taught his children to ski, coached soccer, baseball and girls’ softball. He cheered on his kids in their endeavors; he laughed, supported and shared his contagious smile with all. Phil is also survived by eight grandchildren, Estrella, Michael Jr. and Victoria Young, Allie, Noah and Sophie Rae Pierce, and Dillon and Riley Kate Blake. Phil kept an endless supply of ice cream and chocolate sauce to which there were no limits for the grandkids, ever.
Phil and Kay moved to Chicago in 2014 to pursue his cancer treatment at Loyola University Medical Center and to enjoy the amenities of city life. Phil fought a long battle with cancer with courage and grace. He will be remembered for his kind heart, generosity, and the big smiles he had for everyone.
A Celebration of Life Memorial will be held Sunday, February 19, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at FRENCH – Westside. Memorial donations may be made in Phillip’s name to Roadrunner Food Bank, www.rrfb.org or Doctors without Borders, www.doctorswithoutborders.org.
Visit the online guestbook for Phil at www.FrenchFunerals.com. FRENCH – Westside, 9300 Golf Course Road NW, Albuquerque. 505.897.0300.
