Thelma Mae Young

On Wednesday, February 7th, 2024, just two days before her 93rd birthday, Thelma Mae Young passed away peacefully in her home in Youngsville, North Carolina surrounded by loved ones- which is exactly what she wanted. The Lord was faithful, even in her final days.

Thelma- fondly known as “Mae-Maw” to those who knew and loved her- was the cherished & respected Matriarch of the Young family. She was hardworking, trustworthy, and steadfast in her service to God and to others- a perfect picture of a Proverbs 31 woman.

Being orphaned at a very young age, she had to learn quicker than most how to take care of herself and chose to marry young to the love of her life. They found a new strength leaning on each other and growing up together.

She was a stay-at-home mom through and through, making sure her kids felt her presence in their everyday moments. Yet, she was always working- stepping up when new needs arose. She took on numerous part time jobs & played a critical role in running each of the family businesses to help support the needs of her growing family. And she often did all this while her husband was away working- sometimes for days at a time.

She loved learning and always wanted to finish school but got married young to build the family she never had, trading one dream for another. But after raising her kids she studied and went to school to receive her GED. Her family was so proud of this accomplishment.

Her unwavering faith in the Lord was the foundation of her life, and she made it her mission to share her faith with everyone she encountered. She did this not only with her words- but with her daily actions- loving others as Jesus loved through acts of kindness, generosity, and endless meals that she somehow stretched to feed everyone that came to the table.

She lost her husband Doyle Miller Young at the young age of 57 and vowed never to remarry because she was already so blessed to have the best there ever was. She was survived by her 7 children and a multitude of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her family was her greatest treasure and will continue as her legacy for generations to come.

Proverbs 31:28-29 “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.’”

Even as she grew older, she never sat idle. She kept her hands busy sewing, cross-stitching, and coloring. She made over 100 quilts and gave them to family members to pass down as a symbol of the love, hard work, and patience that embodies the Young family.

She was blessed to always live with family, being graciously cared for by her daughter Susie and son-in-law Rodney for more than 30 years. They never made her feel like a burden and treated her like the gift that she was to their home.

In lieu of flowers, her family asks that you donate to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to help fund research to end a disease that has affected members of our family so deeply. Information on how to donate is listed below under "donations"

A celebration of life for Thelma will be held Saturday, March 2, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 1701 East Millbrook Road, Raleigh, NC 27609.