Esther F. Young, 87
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Esther F. Young, 87, of Sloan Road died Friday, April 15, 2011, after suffering a fall at her home.
Born in Lanesborough on March 19, 1924, daughter of George and Edith Field, she spent her early childhood in that town before moving with her family to Great Barrington and to Sheffield. She graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1941 and attended what was then Massachusetts State College in Amherst.
She and her husband, Quentin P. Young, married in 1947 and moved to the family farm on Sloan Road. They raised five children there while continuing the family tradition of dairy farming for four decades until her husband's death in 1987. Her involvement with the operation of the South Williamstown farm continued until her death.
Mrs. Young was employed by Williams College from 1963 to 1991 in the provost and dean of faculty office and later as caretaker of Elm Tree House at Mount Hope Farm. During World War II, she had worked at General Electric in Pittsfield.
Her curiosity toward life and her openness to new people and experiences blossomed in the academic environment, said family, and she enjoyed her years at Williams immensely. Her generous spirit and sense of fairness along with an uncommon ability to bring out the best in others gained the affection of many in the Williams community. She grew particularly close to some of her co-workers and their families and maintained those friendships throughout her life.
She approached retirement with characteristic enthusiasm and boundless energy. She traveled extensively, making numerous trips to Europe and throughout North America, often with Elderhostel. She enjoyed craft shows, estate auctions, and volunteering at the Women's Exchange. She liked to visit her children and, as "Nana," enveloped her grandchildren with affection and remained keenly interested in their lives. She leaves behind a legacy of love and of life lived well.
She leaves two daughters, Allison Conley of Flemington, N.J., and Madelyn Young of Hatfield; three sons, Quentin P. Young Jr. of Westminster, Vt., Bliss Young of Belchertown and Jeffrey Young of Williamstown and Minneapolis; two sisters, Marguerite Guiden of Williamstown and Marge Wells of Concord, Calif., and 11 grandchildren ranging in age from 16 months to 36 years.
Two other sisters predeceased her, Dorothy Dawson of Hillsdale, N.Y. and Madeline Winter of Richmond.
FUNERAL NOTICE — The funeral service for Mrs. Young will be held Saturday, April 23, at 2 p.m. at Second Congregational Church in South Williamstown. Memorial donations are suggested for the Williamstown Women's Exchange or the American Cancer Society through Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, MA 01247.