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Mourners Remember Winter Haven's Young As A 'Doer's Doer'

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By BILLY TOWNSEND | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 30, 2008

WINTER HAVEN - One after the other, the speakers talked about Marlene Duffy Young's actions. They cited the acts of kindness, competence and will — carried out in public and private — almost like a litany.

Young helped create Polk's countywide library system. She paid her ill sister's rent each month. She took in battered women. She established a rape recovery center. She served as Winter Haven's first female mayor. She was president of the Florida Association of Counties. She trained a racehorse. She helped protect the green swamp. She raised three children in a strong marriage.

"[Young] was a doer's doer," said Tom Oldt, a friend and local newspaper columnist, eulogizing the former Winter Haven mayor and Polk County commissioner this morning. More than 300 people from Winter Haven and Polk County attended the service at Winter Haven's First Church of the Nazarene.

Among them were Young's husband, Robert, and 22-year-old daughter, Meghan, both of whom were injured in the car crash that killed Young last week. Robert Young, who suffered a broken leg, walked in using a cane, while Meghan Young had her shoulder in a sling. They were accompanied by Young's two other adult children and a number of extended family members.

The crash occurred just after 7 p.m. May 21 as Robert Young drove his wife and daughter around the winding, two-lane road on the shore of Lake Howard. Police say an oncoming Toyota, driven by 71-year-old William Boyd Johnson, crossed a double yellow line and slammed into the Youngs.

Johnson died at the scene of the crash, not far from his home on Lake Howard Drive.

Marlene Young suffered serious internal injuries and died several hours later at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. She was 58.

Young's son, Christopher, opened Friday's service by welcoming the mourners, which included a host of Polk elected officials. He noted that a memorial fund established in Young's name at the Greater Winter Haven Community Foundation has reached $250,000 in donations and said the family was overwhelmed by outpouring of sympathy the Young family had received.

Polk Supervisor of Elections Lori Edwards, long a close friend and political ally of Young, talked about the sting of losing her friend so suddenly.

"It never occurred to me I wouldn't have a chance to thank her for everything she meant to me," said Edwards, adding with a smile that she always figured she could tell her at Young's inaugural when she would eventually be elected governor.

Young's friend Janet Del Castillo talked with wonder about Young's late life embrace of racehorse training.

"She would come from some meeting with Polk County bigwigs, still in her suit, and just put on some old shoes and wallow around in the mud with this horse," Del Castillo said. "She was determined that she would teach it to eat butterscotch."

Former County Commissioner Neil Combee called Young "one of the best friends I ever had."

As he ended his eulogy, Combee turned his eyes skyward and said: "Godspeed, Marlene."

Reporter Billy Townsend can be reached at (863) 284-1409 or wtownsend@tampatrib.com.

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