Mildred Edna Lee and William George Young

WILLIAM GEORGE YOUNG was born May 21, 1888 in Northville, Wayne, Michigan,¹²⁰⁸⁶ and died January 30, 1961 in Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan.¹²⁰⁸⁶

He married MILDRED EDNA LEE on May 15, 1926 in South Bend, St. Joseph, Indiana,¹²⁰⁸⁶ daughter of JESSIE MCKEE and JOHN ALSON LEE. She was born March 26, 1901,⁶¹³ and died December 14, 1987 in Michigan.⁶¹³

Herald-Press, June 4, 1947¹²⁰⁸⁷

2 Children Perish In Fire

GIRLS TRAPPED IN BEDROOM OF FARM HOME

Efforts of Brother to Save His Sisters Fail

LAWTON, June 4 — Two little girls, Susan Jane Young, 14 and her sister, Mary Ellen, 8, lost their lives in a farmhouse fire two miles from here today.

They were the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. W. George Young, who came here from Bangor two and a half years ago.

The girls were trapped in their upstairs bedroom. Their 16-year-old brother, Floyd, tried to rescue them with a ladder placed on the outside of the two-story farm hours as flames blocked other exits, but was unsuccessful.

Their father, who has a crippled knee, was on the way to Lawton to summon help when the girls perished.

The farm home, a six-room structure, and all its contents were destroyed despite efforts of Lawton volunteer firemen.

Father Seeks Aid

The Youngs had no telephone, and the nearest phone was a mile distant. The elder Young raced to the village in his automobile to give the alarm. He was asleep in a downstairs bedroom when aroused by his son, who had been awakened by an outcry from Susan Jane, who with her sister were asleep in an adjoining room. The house was filled with smoke and flames were crackling.

The elder Young reached the stairway, but was unable to reach the upper floor because of the flames. Shouting to his son to jump from the bedroom window and get a ladder, Young limped to his car and started for help.

Leaps From Bedroom

Floyd successfully leaped from his room and ran for a ladder. He said he heard his sister Susan Jane Scream as flames and smoke enveloped the upper floor. He tried to reach the girls' room, but his approach was cut off. THere were no more outcries.

It is believed the younger sister, Mary Ellen, was overcome before she awakened or could arise from her bed.

The charred bodies of both girls were removed from the ruins of the house several hours later.

Lawton volunteer firemen, notified by Young, raced to the scene, but were unable to do anything as the house was a mass of collapsing, flaming timbers.

Mother On Duty As Nurse

The victim's mother is a registered nurse employed at Bronson hospital in Kalamazoo on night duty and was therefore away from home at the time the tragedy occurred.

There is one other daughter, Cena Grace, 19, a student at a seminary in Stanton, Ky.

Authorities said the fire apparently was caused by a baby chick brooder Young kept in the house. The brooder was heated by an oil lamp. Young said he had checked the brooder, in which were 100 baby chicks, at 1 a. m. and found everything all right. The fire is believed to have started at about 2:30 a. m.

Sheriff Howard Englesby, Deputy Frank Hazzard and Coroner Frank Thompson of Paw Paw investigated the tragedy and said no inquest would be held.

The childrens' bodies were taken to the Louis Cameron mortuary in Paw Paw and later transferred to the Sherrod mortuary in Bangor. Funeral arrangements have not been completed.

Herald-Palladium, February 1, 1961¹²⁰⁸⁶

W. George Young

BANGOR — William George Young, 72, former Bangor resident, died Monday at St. Mary's hospital in Grand Rapids.

He was born May 21, 1888, in Northville, Mich., the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. H. Young.

He married the former Mildred Lee on May 15, 1926, in South Bend, Ind. THey lived in the Bangor area most of their married life, moving to Grand Rapids five years ago.

He is survived by his widow; one daughter, Mrs. Cena Grace Homan of Kalamazoo; one son, Floyd of Grand Rapids; one brother, Millard of Bay City; one sister, Mrs. Genevieve Hannan of Traverse City; and eight grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Stafford funeral home in Bangor. The Rev. J. H. Meppelink, pastor of the Woodmere Assembly of God church in Grand Rapids, will officiate.

Burial will be in Arlington Hill cemetery in Bangor.