Alice L. Young

Alice L. Young Jan. 16, 1923 - Dec. 7, 2007 Former Resident of El Cerrito Alice L. Young of Cupertino died December 7, 2007 of pulmonary fibrosis. She was 84. She was born on January 16, 1923 in Stockton, CA, to Robert William and Pearl Elizabeth Pratt. She grew up in Stockton and graduated from Stockton High School. She attended San Francisco State College (now San Francisco University), receiving her elementary teaching credential in 1944 and later her speech therapy credential in 1948. In 1946, she married Claude O. Young, Jr. They lived in Richmond for several years. In 1954, they moved to El Cerrito where they raised two daughters. They divorced in 1969. Mrs. Young taught both elementary education and special education for many years at schools in the Richmond School District. She was the former principal of Cameron School in El Cerrito, which was then a school for physically and mentally disabled children. Having lived with both cerebral palsy and rheumatoid arthritis since childhood, she had a special compassion for children with disabilities. Many of these former students and their families remained friends with Mrs. Young all their lives. In 1968, she returned to San Francisco State College to get her administrative credential. She finished her career at the Knolls, a federally-funded program for deaf education in San Pablo, where she taught sign language to deaf infants and their parents. After her retirement, Mrs. Young moved to San Jose where she continued to put her teaching experience to use by volunteering for many years in the Partners in Reading literacy program in San Jose. In 1999, she was honored for volunteering 500 hours of service with the program. Mrs. Young enjoyed camping, travel, visiting museums and art exhibits, and entertaining. Other hobbies included duplicate bridge, growing orchids, ichibana (Japanese) flower arranging, collecting dolls, genealogy, and writing. She was also known for her extensive collection of Mickey Mouse memorabilia. She will be remembered for her outgoing personality, her ability to adapt to life's changes, her creativity and love of learning, her compassion for "the underdog", and her love for her family and wide circle of friends. She leaves behind two daughters, Linda Zia of Brookings, OR and her husband John, and Virginia Becker of Los Gatos and her husband Albert; three grandsons, J. David Zia of Bend, OR and his wife Katy; Daniel Zia of Santa Barbara and his wife Sarah; and Chris White of Ogden, UT; and one great-granddaughter, Braelyn White of Ogden, UT. Burial arrangements were under the direction of Chapel of Flowers in San Jose. A celebration of life will take place on Saturday, January 26 at 1:30 pm at Sunny View Manor, 22445 Cupertino Rd, Cupertino, (408) 454-5663. Memorial donations may be made to the Arthritis Foundation, P.O. Box 96280, Washington, D.C., 20077-7491.