Lydia Young

July 8, 1925 - April 30, 2016

Life Reflections Lydia Mae McCullough was born July 8, 1925 in Clarendon, Arkansas. She was the third daughter of Bennie and Idella McCullough. All four of her sisters preceded her in death: Daisy Mae, Alberta, Izola and Dorothy. She did not have any brothers. Lydia met her soul mate Lawrence and married on August 19, 1946. And out of this union came six children: Patricia, Lawrence Jr. (Bud), Vernon, Keith, Marlene and Tawanda. Patricia and Keith preceded her in death. On August 19, 2016 they would have celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary. As a young lady she always showed poise, style and grace. With such a gracious heart, she was always willing to help anyone who needed something. She attended Cosmetology School to open up a Beauty Parlor, but cooking was what she really liked to do. She worked at many popular restaurants in the St. Louis area. Just like the queen she is, her main goal in life was taking care of others. We believe that she fed everyone in our neighborhood when our family was thriving. Mom had many names: Lydia, Lila, Lila Mae, Mama, Grand mama, great grand mama, granny, auntie, but to all she was our precious angel, our Queen! Our mom loved kids. Mom’s not too soft spoken, her sister, Dorothy (Doll), always said “If you see Lila Mae she is always holding a baby.” If you look around you can see Mom in all of the young women and girls in our family. A few the girls in our family are named after our loving mom. Mom loved everyone and they loved her back, especially children. Our family has a lot of love for each, and that love started long before we were born. We are family in every sense of the word! Mom you will always live on in us, because you are our Queen! Mom battled many illnesses in her golden years, but she had a strong will to live. She would want us to be strong! She is a flower growing wild. There was a storm brewing the day Mom passed as God was welcoming our Mom to HEAVEN!!! It was thundering and lightening, the sky was dark and the rain was pouring. It was a very gloomy day! As the rain subsided, and Mom took her last breath, we knew that was a sign that Mom had entered the pearly gates…and had seen the Promised Land, there is no more pain!! She leaves to cherish her memories: her husband ~ Lawrence Young; four children ~ Patricia Newburn, Lawrence Young - Bud (Gail), Vernon Young (Inez), Keith Young, Marlene Young-Henderson (Irving) and Tawanda Quintanilla (Delbert); twelve grandchildren ~ Monica Newburn, Ebony Smith, Lequeshiah Young, Natashia Miller, John Young, Shineka Young, Keith Young, Antonio Johnson, Ryan Young, Lawrence Young, Alfred Hamilton and Mariah Quintanilla; fifteen great grandchildren ~ Alfred Young, Lydia Young, Lauryn Berry, Lana Berry, Lola Berry, Lillian Berry, Korinna Young, Israel Young, Josie Jean Young, Angel Smith, Aaliyah Smith, Khloe Johnson, Destiny Smith, Deshyia Young, Avea Parsley, Amirah Hunter and New baby Hunter.