A true servant of God, Mr. Willie J. Young transitioned from his earthly home on Friday, April 30, 2021, at Rush Foundation Hospital in Meridian, MS.
Shug, Rev. Young, Pastor etc., was born on May 6, 1948, to the late Hardy and Ruthie Young in Crandall, MS. As a child and young man, he was a member of Mt. Nebo African Methodist Episcopal Church in Crandall. Rev. Young graduated from Shirley Owens High School in 1965, and afterward he enlisted into the United States Navy and received his naval training at Great Lakes Naval Academy in Great Lakes, IL. He served his country for four years.
Rev. Young met and married Alice Brown, and to this union the gifts of Shawn and Todd were given. As a teenager, he graduated from Canton, Ohio’s Business College, as a licensed barber. Barbering equipped him in sharing his gift of gab. He met no strangers. One loved him hard, or one perhaps strongly disagreed with him.
Rev. Young later moved back to Quitman where he mesmerized and married the love of his life, Marguerite (Mugg), on September 19, 1983. Rev. Young was a businessman and entrepreneur: builder and owner of “The People’s Choice” barber shop and “Muggs” Florist. He was called into the ministry in 1984 and received his religious education from Emory University in Atlanta, GA, for the United Methodist Church and for about 10 years he pastored, preached, and shared the word of God in many areas of MS. He then returned home to pastor locally. His pastoral leadership extended a period of over 20 years before retiring. He joined Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Quitman, MS. Upon his retirement, he joined St. John United Methodist Church in Desoto, MS. Rev. Young was always giving, sharing God’s word, and serving his community and other communities. His favorite quote was, “Only as we serve others do we make a lasting contribution to our world. If there be any truer measure of a man that by what he does, it must be what he gives.”
Rev. Young and Marguerite became foster parents and adopted Monica and Tirome Watts Young.
Rev. Young’s favorite pastime was engaging in a therapeutic game of golf and was also was an avid tennis player.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Hardy and Ruthie Young; grandmother, Nolie Parker; sister, Loretta Flanagan; and brothers, Larry, Jacque, and Wyte Young.
He leaves to cherish his memories a loving wife of 37 years, Marguerite; four sons, Shawn Young, Todd (Macoiya) Young, Tirome Young and Ken (Melissa) Bland; one daughter, Monica Watts Young; seven grandchildren, Andrea, Shelia, Kendrick, Todd, Trezher, Madison, and Tabias; two brothers, Homer (Noriko), and Gregory (Stephanie) Young; five sisters, Eva Tisdale, Doris (William) Tomlinson and Girtha Miller, Vickie Warren, and Sherry (Tom) Pickens; three sister-in-laws, Joyce, Ruby, Rose and Yumiko Young; one brother-in-law, Tommie Flanagan; stepmother, Mrs. Lillie Mae Goss; god brothers, Mr. Arthur Nelson and Robert Bartee; god son, Shawn Follins; special friends, Ms. Beatrice Street, Mr. Ike McCormick, Willie “Scoop” Evans; friend/prayer partner, Rev. Willie Kinslow; ministers, church members, caregivers: Joi Simpson, Charlene Heidelberg Thomas; classmates; golfing and tennis friends; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
