Henry Alvin Young, Junior, fondly known as Al, Jr., age 60 of Rutherfordton, returned peacefully to his Heavenly Father on July 22, 2025.  

He was born February 28, 1965 in Hawthorne, California to Henry Alvin Young Sr. and Rose Marie Wohlfarth Young.  His brother Steven Ray was born a year later making their family complete. A lifetime of adventure followed as they travelled the globe on family trips to Hawaii, Mexico, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Vancouver, as well as to Utah in the winter to ski, Catalina Island in the summer to swim and the Colorado River to raft the rapids.   

Al, Jr. graduated from Westchester High School in 1984 and then joined the California Conservation Corp, a branch of the U.S. Forestry service.  He was stationed in northern California on the front lines to fight wild fires.      

Al, Jr. worked for over 25 years as a shuttle driver at the Los Angeles International Airport helping passengers get to and from their destinations.  Always on time and always helpful, Al, Jr. claimed he got his good nature from his father and his work ethic from his mother. 

He loved gardening and spent five years volunteering as the garden manager for Emerson Avenue Community Garden in Los Angeles which included serving as a board member.  

He moved to Rutherfordton in 2020 to help care for his father which he did valiantly.  He made friends easily and enjoyed working at the TDF Furniture Store until their recent closing along with the Dollar Tree.

A lifelong and faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served wherever and whenever needed. Most recently, his calling was to pick up members for church on Sunday who had no other means of transportation.  A job he faithfully fulfilled and rarely ever missed.

Al, Jr. was a peacemaker, had a heart for the homeless and came to be known as the guy who fed the ducks at Isothermal College.  He delighted in sharing stories and getting to know new people.  His unconquerable love for life and the people around him defined his days upon this earth.  He’ll be remembered fondly as one who overcame his trials and found strength as he learned to rely on his Savior, Jesus Christ.   

Survivors include his father, Henry Alvin “Al” Young of Rutherfordton, North Carolina, his mother, Rose Marie Wohlfarth Young of Draper, Utah and his brother, Steven Ray Young of Anaheim Hills, California.  Also, sisters, Debra Young Cheney of Pocatello, Idaho, Vicci Young Wall (Glenn) of Jefferson, Georgia, Cherie Young Jolley (Kert) of Cumming, Georgia, Lisa Yerke of Salt Lake City, Utah and Patty Young Padilla (Gil) who preceded him in death in 1991. A host of extended family includes aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.  He was especially close to his cousins, Taran Long (Yates) and Tina Porter (Tim) both of Rutherfordton, North Carolina who were both by his side when he passed.  

Funeral services will be held at 11 o’clock on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 250 Mt. Pleasant Church Road, Forest City, 28043 with Bishop Dale Workman officiating.  The family will receive friends at the church from 10 until 11 o’clock prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Al’s favorite charity “Heifer International”, a group helping small scale farmers in poverty stricken areas around the world (https://www.heifer.org/give/giving-in-honor.html) or to your favorite charity in Al’s name would most certainly bring him joy.

The Padgett and King Mortuary & Crematory is in charge of arrangements and an online guest registry is available at www.padgettking.com