John Young was born in Portland, Oregon on October 6th, 1949, and passed away peacefully at
his home in Rhododendron, Oregon on September 12th, 2023. He was the last living of four
children born to Lowell and Lurina Young. John is survived by his daughter Rhonda, her husband
Ted, and his two grandchildren, Andrew and Daniel.
John was a long-time member of the Mountain community, working at Timberline for over 35
years. Although, those close to John know that he never really stopped working given his strong
commitment to northwest ski areas and the lift maintenance profession. He gave back to the
community throughout his time on the mountain including at various times involvement in
Portland Mountain Rescue, Hoodland Fire District, youth nordic skiing, Rhododendron Water
Association, Sandy Sportsman Association, Mt. Hood Lions Club, and the Hoodland Lutheran
Church. John was a musician, avid reader, and lifelong learner with insatiable curiosity for
countless subjects. A true Mountain Man, he began his love of the outdoors backpacking,
climbing, Nordic and telemark skiing, and canoeing and continued to enjoy the outdoors
throughout his life, spending much of his later years fishing, bird watching, and sports shooting.
Through these various interests, John became strongly woven into the fabric of the people and
community he loved.
What people will remember most about John is his love of connecting with others and lending a
hand when needed. He was genuinely fascinated in each person he met and was always ready
to settle in for a long conversation. His gentleness and kindness will be deeply missed. A
memorial will be held on Saturday, October 7th at the Mt. Hood Lions Club from 1-4 pm. In lieu
of flowers, please consider a donation to your favorite outdoor or youth non-profit in John
Young’s name.