Thankful for the Night

• I am thankful for the night, the night is followed by the morning
• I am thankful for tears, tears gently stream to a place of peace
• I am thankful for seasons of poverty, poverty produces the fruit of humility
• I am thankful for dark days, dark days are pierced with memories of the light
• I am thankful for failures, failures create a longing for success
• I am thankful for pain, pain relieved is healing
• I am thankful for loss, loss births appreciation for gains
• I am thankful for sadness, sadness seed expectancy of coming joy
• I am thankful for moments of vulnerability, vulnerability invites genuine intimacy
• I am thankful for brokenness, brokenness beckons a new wholeness
• I am thankful for goodbye's, goodbye's leave room for new hello's
• I am thankful for the night, the night is followed by the morning

-Rich Young (2005)

Richard "Rich" Eugene Young of Mount Airy passed away at Forsyth Medical Center on Monday January 17th at age 65. He was a gentle man, but loved his family fiercely. Rich was born May 4, 1956, to Doyle and Hazel Young in Huntington Park CA. He graduated from Ouachita Baptist University with a BA and then went on to receive his MA from the University of Southern Mississippi. He is survived by his wife of almost 17 years Allene Young, and their children: Sebellah Young their granddaughter they adopted, Jeremiah Young along with his wife Kristen of Morristown TN, Ryan Young of Portland OR, Jacob Gutkowski and his wife Alisha Gutkowski of NC. He is survived by 6 other grandchildren: Kamdyn and Evie Young and Norah, Caleb, Adelaide and Charlotte Gutkowski. He was the youngest of 3 sisters Barbara Young Scott of Nashville AR, Doris Young McLellan of Ada OK and Pat Baker of Texarkana, TX, all of who survive him. Richard was preceded in death by his daughter, Beth Gutkowski, and granddaughter, Haven Gutkowski.

Obituary