Charles Richard Youngson

Charles Richard (Dick) Youngson Resident of Concord CA Dec 25, 1921 May 7, 2014 Dick Youngson passed away peacefully on Wednesday after a long battle with congestive heart failure. He had a good life. He was a creative scientist who was very outgoing, friendly, witty, and thoughtful. He was a lovely man with a lot of strength and courage. He went out of his way to make others feel welcome and valuable. Many people were touched by his generosity, kindness and gentle spirit. The world is better for Dicks life. Dick was born at his mothers home in Long Beach CA on Christmas day. He grew up during the roaring 20s and the great depression when times were hard but Long Beach was a wonderful small beach town. Dick had many friends in his neighborhood to play with but he was always a worker. He started his working career at a young age as a paper boy and later became a life guard on the beach at Long Beach. Dick loved the beach and ocean. He could walk to the beach from his home and spent many hours there body surfing, exploring, snorkeling, swimming, and working as a life guard. Dicks love of the beach, tide pools, sea creatures, and ocean environment were one of his great passions in life. Dick also lived within walking distance of Belmont Heights Methodist Church. He attended the Methodist Youth Fellowship group there where he met the love of his life Theodosia. They both attended Wilson High school where Dick graduated in 1940 and Thea in 1941. They continued their romance after high school, married in Sept 1943, and celebrated 70 yrs of marriage last September. After high school, Dick attended Long Beach Junior College and then Santa Barbara State College where he studied life sciences and human physiology. His studies were cut short by WWII. He entered the army in March 1943 and served as a medical lab tech in England with the 106th General Hospital ETO until discharged in March 1946. After the war, Dick returned to the University of Calif. Santa Barbara where he obtained a BS in biological science. 1948 was a momentous year for Dick, he not only graduated from college but his first child was born and he obtained what was to be his career job with Dow Chemical Co. in Agricultural Research at Seal Beach CA. Dick loved his job at Dow and made many friends there that he has stayed close to the rest of his life. The Seal Beach Aggie group was like a family, working hard together yet enjoying many fun social events including large abalone feeds. Dick was very clever and creative at work and developed special testing methods which ultimately led to successful commercial products and numerous patents. In the 1950s and early 1960s Dick lived in Long Beach. He had another son and a daughter during this time period and was a caring, loving and attentive father. He was also a friend and father figure to his childrens friends. He would play sports with his children. He would take them hiking, swimming, camping, and make homemade root beer with them. He would also teach them about biology which he truly loved and help with science projects. He was a Cub Scout leader and much much more. Dick loved to joke around with folks and kid them in a friendly loving way. In 1964 Dick was transferred to the Dow Walnut Creek Research lab along with the Seal Beach Aggie group. He settled in Concord where he has lived every since. Dick and Thea believed that a college education was important to the future of their children and thus paid for their childrens college education. All three children graduated with bachelors degrees. Years later Dick and Thea created college funds for their grandchildren and helped them with some of their college expenses too. In addition, Dick and Thea supported numerous orphans in African countries through their contributions to World Vision and other charities. Dick retired from Dow in 1983 but worked part time there until the Walnut Creek lab was shut down and work transferred out of state. After that he worked part time in his daughter in laws jewelry business until early 2000s. Dick was involved in many activities besides work after he retired from Dow. A few of these activities included vegetable gardening, volunteer work at Mt. Diablo Hospital and Ygnacio Valley Presbyterian Church, extensive travel throughout the US and internationally, square dancing, mens chorus, study of US history ( especially the civil war era), and visitation for folks in nursing homes. The last couple years of Dicks life were not kind to him but he soldiered on and tried to make the best of it. Friends and Family are invited to a celebration of Dicks life on Saturday May 17, 2014 at 10 am. Ygnacio Valley Presbyterian Church, 2140 Minert Rd, Concord, Calif. Celebration of Life Saturday, May 17, 2014 10:00 am Ygnacio Valley Presbyterian Church 2140 Minert Rd. Concord CA 94518