Article published November 06, 2009
CLAUDE E. YOUNG, 1932-2009
Business founder a Masonic, civic leader
GREEN SPRINGS, Ohio - Claude E. Young, 77, co-founder of a plastic parts manufacturer who was a leader in civic and Masonic groups, died Tuesday in St. Luke's Hospital, Maumee, of apparent heart failure.
Mr. Young, of Sandusky County's Green Creek Township, had lunch with fellow Shriners in the Toledo area and collapsed while returning to his car, his wife, Carolyn, said.
He retired about five years ago from Progress Plastic Products Inc., the firm he founded in 1969 with Richard Krauss. He remained chairman of the board.
He was a plastics engineer at Whirlpool in Clyde, Ohio, when he decided to begin the venture.
"He just had guts and took a chance," said his son Bret, the firm's operations manager. "It was a growing industry back then, and he recognized it was a field that had possibility to grow. A lot of people might not have done what him and Dick did."
The men started in a small garage. Eventually the company had plants in Bellevue, Ohio, and Tiffin. The Bellevue plant closed last year. The firm's customers have included Sherwin-Williams, Rubbermaid, and Whirlpool. Mr. Young became sole owner after Mr. Krauss retired.He earlier worked for Clyde Porcelain Steel, which Whirlpool took over.
Community service was a way of life.
"He was very outgoing and very friendly," his son said. "He made friends so easily."
Mr. Young had been elected to the Clyde-Green Springs board of education. He was a trustee emeritus of the Birchard Public Library. He'd been on the boards of the Tiffin University and Terra Community College Foundation. He was a director of Croghan Colonial Bank, St. Francis Health Care Centre, Green Springs, and Shriners Hospital in Cincinnati.
He was on the council of Green Springs United Methodist Church, where he sang tenor in the choir. He also was a soloist at weddings.
He was a past potentate of the Zenobia Shrine of Northwest Ohio, a past master of the Green Springs Lodge, and a past 16th District deputy grand master. He was a past president of the Fremont Shrine Club and past president of the Jeepsters.
Born July 18, 1932, the son of Iris and Lee Young, he was a 1950 graduate of Green Springs High School and attended Baldwin-Wallace College.
He was in the Navy during the Korean War and served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Boxer.
Surviving are his wife, Carolyn, whom he married Dec. 24, 1955; sons, Wade, Bret, and Todd Young; sisters, Louise Craig and Eleanor Miller; 12 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. Nov. 27 in Green Springs Elementary School, where the family will greet friends after 1:30 p.m. Masonic services will be at 3:30 p.m. Arrangements are by the Mitchell-Auxter Funeral Home, Clyde.
The family suggests tributes to Green Springs United Methodist Church; the Green Springs Historical Society; Shriners Hospitals for Children, or the elevator fund at the Green Springs Masonic Lodge.
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