William Young

William Thomas Young was born in Huntington, West Virginia. He died peacefully on June 6, 2014 at the age of 89.
During World War II he was trained to be a fighter pilot with the United States Army Air Corps.
He was educated at the John Herron Institute in Indianapolis where he had a scholarship, the University of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Art Academy, Ohio State University, the University of Southern California, the University of Alabama ( M.A. in Fine Arts)
and Columbia University (Ed.D. in Painting).
After graduating from the University of Alabama he became chairman of the Department of Fine Arts at Florence State University (now the University of North Alabama). After that he was an illustrator of experimental aircraft for Douglas Aircraft in Los Angeles.
Between 1953 and 1969 he was chairman of the Department of Fine Arts at Wagner College on Staten Island. During this time he was a founding member of the Tenth Street artists' galleries in Manhattan.
He was head of the Department of Fine arts at Auburn University in 1969-70.
In 1970 he came to Louisiana State University in New Orleans as chairman of the newly created art department where he was later a professor of art until his retirement.
The most recent exhibition of his paintings was held at the Ogden Museum in 2008 on the fiftieth anniversary of the University of New Orleans.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Carolyn, sons Christopher of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Stephen of Metairie and daughters Sheridan of Lawton, Oklahoma, and Melissa of Destin, Florida, and six grandchildren.
The family would like to thank those who cared for him at Emeritus Senior Living in Mandeville.
In compliance with his wishes, his cremated remains will be placed in the Gulf of Mexico near Destin.