Senate Honors Life and Career of Sen. John Young

The state Senate on Monday approved a resolution praising the life and career of the late Sen. John Young. Young, who served as a state Senator from 1964 until 1986, died in January at the age of 85.

Sen. Brian Bingman authored Senate Resolution 55 praising Sen. Young for his numerous contributions to the state.

“From his service in the Navy to his 22-year tenure in the state Senate, Sen. Young’s life was devoted to serving his community and the state of Oklahoma,” said Bingman, R-Sapulpa. “His long and distinguished career contributed greatly to the betterment of our state. Today, we celebrate his career, his numerous accomplishments and his legacy of public service.”

Young received his undergraduate degree from Tulsa University in 1946 and his law degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1950. He served in the U.S. Navy in World War II and was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate in 1964, where he served until 1986. Bingman noted that Sen. Young’s Senate tenure was marked by his fervent support for reforming state government, including reforms of the judicial system and state and teacher retirement systems.

Sen. Young’s wife Claudeen, and sons John Mark, David Lee and Brad were present in the Senate Chamber for the presentation of SR 55. Bingman noted that Claudeen Young was his kindergarten teacher.

John Mark Young thanked the Senate for honoring his father.

“We appreciate the honor you’ve bestowed upon my dad,” he said. “Looking back on his 22 years in the Legislature, the hallmark of his service was his compassion for the common man. That’s the legacy he’s passed on to the rest of us and we hope that you would recognize this as well.”

Sen. Young was the founder of Freedom House, a ministry of Teen Challenge, for women with life-challenging problems. He crusaded to transform Creek County into a “drug free” area, and regularly visited inmates in the Creek County Justice Center twice a week. He and his wife ministered together in churches and hospitals, sharing encouragement, helping those in need and praying for the sick.

He was also active in the Sapulpa Chamber of Commerce, Lions, Round-Up Club, American Legion, Friends of the Library and the Sapulpa Historical Society.