Homer James Young

After graduating from high school, Dad left Mississippi, eventually joining the US Navy in 1964. After stations in Rhode Island and Memphis, Dad went to Japan, where he served on the aircraft carrier USS Midway. In Japan, Dad met Mom, Terrance was born in 1976 in Kanagawa, Japan, and Victor four years later in Ohio. After Ohio and Hawaii, the family returned to Japan in 1985. Dad reunited with the USS Midway, this time as part of the Ship Repair Facility team that refitted the ship in 1986. In 1994 the family moved to Silverdale, WA and after a 30-year career, Dad retired from the Navy with the rank of Master Chief. Dad’s commitment to his Naval career was unrivaled and would inspire several of his brothers, and nieces and nephews to serve.

Dad loved his sports. That’s nothing unusual, but he was fortunate enough to have played some baseball and basketball in his youth, coached his ship’s basketball team, and umpired the base softball league. His love of football and the 49s transferred to his sons, one of whom loves his red and gold ball cap and the other of whom won’t stop telling the Joe Montana John Candy story. Dad was international in his love of baseball. His favorite baseball team was the LA Dodgers, but his favorite Japanese baseball team was the Seibu Lions. Occasionally, he would ask, “How’s Seibuuu doing,” putting extra mustard on that last syllable.

Dad loved the classics- R&B, Soul, and the Blues. Out of the blue, he would say something wise like “You can’t turn back the hands of time,” almost as if he’d come up with the line himself. Talk about how no one played the guitar like BB and how he’d wish he’d seen him play live. But when it came to singing the blues, no one could beat Bobby Bland. Dad and Victor would bond over the hippest (by 90s standards) JoDeCi jam. And Dad would ask Terrance if he knew Sam Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come? He does now.

Known as Dad to his sons, Young to his wife, Master Chief to his friends and colleagues, Dad was Buddy to his family. It is a nickname befitting who he was. Not always the most talkative, Buddy would draw you in with his warm wit and laid-back demeanor. His sons remember being stopped by people with smiles on their faces, asking, “How’s Master Chief? I served with him…” Even Dad’s non-English-speaking Japanese mother-in-law was not immune to his charms, each exclaiming, “Young-san!” “Mama-san!” when they greeted each other and went in for a (not very Japanese) hug.

Dad once said he did not believe his children owed him anything. That they had not chosen to be born and that they should live their best lives as they saw fit. It was a selfless, Dad thing to say. Except Dad was wrong about one thing. We owe you everything, Dad. Thank you. We love and miss you very much. Rest in peace Master Chief, you deserve it.