Our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Lee Perry Young, 71, passed away on Monday, January 30, 2023.
Perry was born to Richard and Laverne Young on October 15, 1951, in Brownwood, Texas with the assistance of Dr. Ned Snyder. He was the youngest of three boys.
He graduated from Brownwood High School in 1970. His senior year he was a Parade All American Wide Receiver and set many records that lasted for decades including a State Championship game record of 202 receiving yards on 7 catches and 3 touchdowns. Perry attended New Mexico State University after high school and was drafted by the Montreal Expos after one year. Unfortunately, he suffered a career ending injury and moved back to Brownwood.
Perry started working for the Santa Fe Railroad rising to the position of Yard Master. While working he competed in volleyball, basketball, flag football, and fastpitch softball. He was picked to play on a US National Men’s team that toured the world, including a tour to South Africa in 1978.
In 1992, Perry received his degree in Education from Howard Payne University and began a coaching career that took him to Southside High School in San Antonio, Midland Lee High School, Brownwood High School, and finally Burleson High School. Over his career he coached football, volleyball, basketball, and softball. In 2010, Perry was chosen to be a coach in the TGCA Softball All-Star Game. During his career he accrued many individual accomplishments, but he was most proud of the relationships with players that continued after graduation. Perry continued to celebrate and support many of his former athletes throughout their adult lives. He retired from coaching in 2014 and began another career as a LandMan in the oil and gas industry.
Perry married Christi (Clark) Young on December 24, 1997. He picked the date and years later confessed that he chose it because he knew he would always have at least one gift under the tree by then. That may have been his intent, but throughout the years, he always came up with heartwarming anniversary gifts.
Perry had an infectious laugh and an amazingly quick wit. His smile lit up a room and there wasn’t a person who met him who didn’t enjoy his company. The only time this might not have applied was on the softball field when a player received his “gorilla” look for missing a signal or when players had to complete the bucket drill. Those moments were fleeting however, and laughter and jokes would once again be heard from the field. Perry also had great relationships with parents. He made sure they knew that he cared about the kids as much as they did. Perry had a close group of friends from Brownwood that he stayed in contact with his whole life. He considered them all his “brothers from other mothers.”
Perry is survived by his wife of 25 years, Christi; his two sons from his first marriage, Baron Young and wife Christi, and Josh Young; his grandson, Richard Bryce Young; and a myriad of nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law, and friends who were family.
Perry was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Robert and Doug. The Young family has now been reunited.
A Celebration of Life for Perry will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 11, 2023, at Blaylock Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Charles Osborne officiating. Visitation will be Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Arrangements are under the direction of Blaylock Funeral Home of Brownwood.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital (https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html) in Perry’s memory. Online condolences for the family are welcome at www.blaylockfuneralhome.com.