Allen Ray Young
August 28, 1928 — May 26, 2015
Decatur ~ Allen Ray Young, 86, a retired educator, went to be with our Lord Tuesday, May 26, 2015 in Decatur.
Funeral is 10:00 a.m. Saturday, June 6, 2015 at Sycamore Baptist Church with burial at Sycamore Cemetery. Family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 5, 2015 at Coker-Hawkins funeral home.
Rev. Casey Lewis will officiate. Pallbearers James Maples, Trey Young, Kent Cain, Chris Cain, Trent Young, and Gary Caraway.
Allen Ray was born on August 28, 1928 to James and Minnie (Trussell) Young in Sycamore, Texas. He was united in marriage to Nelda Ramey on March 4, 1954 in Decatur. Allen Ray grew up in the Sycamore community on the family farm. He graduated from Slidell High School in 1944, Decatur Baptist College in 1946, and North Texas State University in 1949. He later earned his Master’s Degree from NTSU. He began teaching at Decatur Junior High in 1949, but this career was interrupted by his military service. Young was a Corporal in the US Army in 1951-52, serving in Germany during the Korean War. In 1954, he married Nelda Ramey and returned to teaching and coaching again at Decatur Junior High. He retired as principal of Decatur Elementary after 38 years with the district. Retirement meant he could devote his time to his livestock on the Sycamore farm. He also served on the Slidell school board. Allen Ray was an active member of the Sycamore Baptist Church. During his years there, he served as a Deacon and taught a men’s Bible class.
He was preceded in death by his parents; 3 brothers, Lawrence, T.H., and John Bob Young; his sister, Aquilla Maples.
Those left behind to cherish his memory are his wife of 61 years, Nelda Young of Decatur; 3 nephews, Fred R. Maples and wife Trumanell of Decatur, Tommy Young and wife Christy of Garland, and John Young and wife Jennifer of Fort Worth; 4 nieces, Barbara Simpson and husband Ken of Arlington, Nora Faye Cain and husband Johnny of Decatur, Barbeth Van Baush and husband Dave of Atlanta, Georgia, and Charlotte Smith of Atlanta, Georgia, and a host of friends.
Donations may be made in his memory to the Decatur Education Foundation.
Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home, Decatur, Texas, 940-627-5959
www.hawkinsfuneralhome.com