Mary Alice Young

Our Mom, Mary Alice Young, was born in Oakland, California on May 24th, 1927. She made the transition from this world on March 4th, 2025 at the age of 97. 

Mary spent her early years age 1 through 5 in Los Angeles, living with her grandmother, Mary Merrill and her mother, Bernice Mangan. Her mother was divorced from her father when Mary was young.

While living in L.A., Bernice married Martin Lee in 1932, and they moved to Weiser, Idaho when Mary was 6 years old. Martin treated Mary as if she was his own daughter, and she always called him daddy. Mary always loved to sing, and it was in Weiser where she found a singing teacher who encouraged and inspired her to develop her beautiful soprano range voice. She credited her teacher for changing her life.

After high school, Mary moved to Boise where she attended Boise Junior College for 1 year while working at the Phone Company (Mtn. Bell) to support herself. She left BJC after 1 year for full time employment and a promotion at work.

It was during this time that she met Boyd Young on a blind date arranged by some friends. The rest is history. Mary and Boyd were married and moved to a farm north of Middleton Idaho, where their children Michael and Vicki were born.

The family moved to the North End of Boise in 1960, where she worked as a mother and homemaker and helped Boyd as a bookkeeper in his business ventures. Mary inspired a lifelong love of music in Mike, who as a toddler listened to Elvis, and Vicki, who became an accomplished pianist. Mary made sure that they had support in their musical aspirations.

It was during this time that she joined the Madrigal Singers, which was a women’s choir group that was led by Helen Bullock, and gave annual performances around the Boise area. The Madrigals gave Mary an opportunity to express her singing talent and fulfill her love of music for over 30 years.

Mary and Boyd moved to Eagle Idaho in 1966 and lived there until they built their dream retirement home in Meridian. During her retirement years, Mary honed her skills at quilting, making all of her loved ones beautiful quilts. She also had flower gardens that were the envy of all her neighbors. 

Boyd and Mary enjoyed an active retirement for close to 30 years with their 5th wheel travel trailer. They spent every winter in Arizona with their Good Sam Club friends and every June they went fishing for Salmon in Campbell River B.C., where they kept their fishing boat. It quickly became their favorite spot on earth. They called Campbell River “their little piece of heaven.” 

Mary was preceded in death by Boyd on November 28, 2021. She is survived by her son, Michael Young (Cindy Trail), and her daughter, Vicki (Johnny) Greenfield; two grandchildren, Shauna Stewart, Leigh Greenfield and three great grandchildren, Alexa Stewart, Brooklynn Stewart, Ryder Stewart. 

There will be a graveside service for family and friends at the Star Cemetery in Star, Idaho on April 5th at 2:00 pm.