Dr. William Frederick "Ted" Young

Raleigh, NC……William F. (Ted) Young, retired pediatrician and community leader, passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 15, 2024, at Springmoor Retirement Community in Raleigh, NC. Sharp until the very end, he had enjoyed a week of his family gathering around him and tender, poignant conversations prior to his transition to a world without pain and brokenness.

Ted was born on January 19, 1929, in Florence, SC, as the 4th child of T.B. Young and Mary Evelyn Brown Young. As the youngest child of older parents, he quickly developed independence and a sense of personal responsibility, whether he was living life with his cousins on the family farm, shooting squirrels with his dog Laddie, or excelling academically in the Florence public school system. Ted graduated with honors and as Student Body President in 1946 with a plan to attend UNC-Chapel Hill and then medical school.

 In characteristic style, he was exceptionally successful and stuck to his plan. His years at UNC prepared him academically for his future career in medicine and also provided opportunities for service and leadership, already rooted in his character. The post WWII years were an interesting time on college campuses, where recent high school graduates and seasoned war veterans sought education, opportunity, and normalcy. Ted had a talent for bringing people of diverse backgrounds together and getting efforts over the finish line. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1950, having served as president of his social fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta, being tapped as a member of the Golden Fleece (UNC’s honorary service organization), and elected permanent class president. He also graduated with Carolina blue blood and was an all-in Tar Heel sports fan for the rest of his life.

 Ted entered medical school at the University of Pennsylvania. After completing medical school and an internship at Pennsylvania Hospital, he joined the US Air Force, hoping to serve his country and stay within driving distance of his family. However, he was posted, in his own words, “to the frontier”—Waco, Texas. Little did he know that in the Wild West he would meet the love of his life, Charlene Williams. The Southern Methodist University junior met the dashing Air Force captain at church on New Year’s Day, and the rest is history.

After his discharge from the USAF, Ted took his bride to Philadelphia, where they weathered the adventure of pediatric residency training at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) before moving to South Carolina, to set up practice in his beloved state and near his hometown. Sumter became their home—47 years of practice, 3 homes, 3 children, 1 church (First Presbyterian Church), many dear friends, and endless opportunities to give to the children and people of South Carolina. Ted’s heart for service is summed up in the words of Sir Winston Churchill: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” While Ted would characterize himself as a humble country doctor, his practice of medicine flowed naturally into advocacy for children locally and across South Carolina. He was most proud of working with the SC Board of Health to implement a childhood immunization program across county schools. Also, he recognized early the need to train teachers about learning disabilities and ADHD, so that all children could enjoy the benefits of education with tailored approaches as needed. He partnered with his Rotary Club, the YMCA, the public school system, the SC Board of Health, the Federal Head Start program, the SC Legislature, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and USC School of Medicine —leading efforts to bring key stakeholders together to support the needs of children. He held numerous formal leadership roles and continued to work in the trenches, using influence, sweat, and grit to bring about change. He was honored with the USC Pediatric Department William Weston Distinguished Service Award, was recognized by the SC Legislature for service to the children of the State, and was the recipient of the SC chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Lifetime Achievement Award.

Ted’s leadership skills also found an outlet through service with the YMCA. He first worked at YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly (BRA) in Black Mountain, NC, in 1943, where he shot his first and only skunk. As an adult and after moving to Sumter, he found that the mission of the YMCA aligned with his own, and he invested his time and treasure in its sustainability. He coached, fundraised, recruited, and expanded the efforts of the local Y, serving on its Board of Directors and as president. Eventually, he was asked to serve on the BRA Board of Trustees, graduating from grounds worker and pot scrubber to fiduciary leader. His family enjoyed many delightful summer weekends there, roughing it in a 100 year old cabin—history, natural beauty, hikes, crafts, skits, and scavenger hunts. Ted’s keen wit, ever present, poured out in these slow family moments.

Ted was passionate about education and loved to travel. He combined these interests to orchestrate many vacations with the family of five packed into a faux wood-paneled Oldsmobile station wagon with limited air conditioning, driving to see historical sites, museums, performances, and places of extraordinary natural beauty. A 12-hour sightseeing day with Ted at the helm was not for the faint of heart, but when Ted put on his straw vacation hat, the family had his full attention, and we laughed…a lot. He was particularly proud of being an American and wanted his children and grandchildren to embrace the wonders of this country.

Family was Ted’s heart, demonstrated most clearly through providing and teaching and demonstrating care for his community. He was often the glue that kept the Young family diaspora rooted. As his nuclear family grew, he acquired more names—always 3 letters—Dad, Ted, Pop, with his signature of DTP on cards and gifts. After 57 years in Sumter, Ted and Charlene moved to Raleigh to be near their daughters and grandchildren. Still, they chose to maintain their church membership at First Presbyterian in Sumter, their community of faith for decades. Ted was honored just this spring with the title Elder Emeritus for his committed service to his church. While he spoke little of his personal faith, he embodies Ephesians 2:10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Dr. Young is survived by his wife of nearly 67 years, Charlene Williams Young; daughter Lynn Anthony and her husband Dan of Winston-Salem, NC; son, Rick Young of Gainesville, FL; daughter Sarah Gessner and her husband Rick of Raleigh, NC; 6 grandchildren and their spouses, Walker and Kristin Anthony of Winston Salem, Elisabeth Anthony of Winston Salem, Ted Gessner of Arlington, VA, Isaac Anthony of Atlanta, GA, Anna Gessner of Chapel Hill, NC, and Emily Gessner of Raleigh; and many loving nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his siblings T.B. Young, Jr., James Givens Young, Mary Young Cousar, and Beattie Perry Young.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Springmoor Retirement Home in Raleigh, NC, on Sunday, June 23rd at 2pm. The family is planning a burial service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Florence, SC, and a Celebration of Life service at First Presbyterian Church in Sumter, SC, on Saturday, August 3, 2024, at 2:00 pm.

Memorials may be sent to First Presbyterian Church of Sumter, SC, Springmoor Lifecare Retirement Community Endowment Fund in Raleigh, NC, or YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly in Black Mountain, NC.

You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family’s guest book.

The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home for the arrangements.

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