Merle Wayne Young Sr, 89, of West Glover, VT died on Wednesday, January 17 after a battle with Amyloidosis in his heart and lungs. He passed peacefully into the Kingdom of Heaven, in his home, with his 3 daughters at his side. Merle was born in the" farmhouse" in West Glover on October 24, 1934 to Clarence and Ruth (Baker) Young.

Merle graduated from Orleans high school with the class of 1952. He met his future wife Carolyn (Woodard) at the Barton movie theatre, where she was an usher. They were married on September 26, 1953 and spent 54 years together before her passing in 2007.

Merle grew up as part of the third generation farming the "homestead" that his Grandfather George bought in the mid 1800's, after coming with his family to Canada as a child from Scotland and wanting his own land as an adult acquired the farm in West Glover. The farm was then sold to his father Clarence in 1918. When his father passed at an early age, Merle bought the farm from his mother Ruth in 1957. Merle and Carolyn ran it as a dairy farm until switching to raising Black Angus beef cattle. During this time he started driving professionally for St. Johnsbury Trucking which he continued until his retirement. The farm was then sold to their son Merle Jr. and his wife Vickie, the fourth generation and now the fifth and sixth generation own and run the farm after Merle Jr's passing in 2020.

Though Merle had a career in trucking he was always invested in the community as well. Merle and Carolyn bought the Lake Parker Country Store, now Parker Pie, and ran it for five years. When they sold, they used the proceeds to build their beautiful home overlooking the lake, where he lived until his death.

With the combined generational Young family, they built a new sugarhouse and started sugaring again. Merle's job was to keep the arch full and hot while Carolyn boiled. She taught all her grandsons to boil as good as her.

Merle was very proud of his Scottish heritage. If he could pinch a penny he certainly did. Him and Carolyn visited Scotland in October 1982 with stops in Paris and London. They visited Edinburgh, Inverness and the McBean Memorial Park Shrine in Loch Ness.

Merle joined the Lion's club in Orleans where he participated in all of their activities. He arranged the fall leaf peeping trip for many years and was awarded "Lion of the Year" and also received the Melvin Jones Fellowship, the highest award a Lion can receive.

Merle was a member of the Glover Trailwinders, where he was president for more than 30 years. He was the county trails coordinator for 12 years. He worked trails, helped build bridges and got permission slips signed. He attended Vast meetings in Barre with Milo Day, where he also received an award for his years of service. The club still continues to hold their meetings in his home.

Merle was baptized and held membership in the West Glover Church his entire life. He served as a trustee, moderator and a member of the Parish Council where he also served as President for many years.

Merle was an avid reader, whether it be a John Grisham novel, Time magazine, National Geographic, The Northland Journal or just the newspaper or Chronicle he could read for hours at a time. He also was a big sports fan, he followed the Red Sox, the Bruins and the Washington Red Skins. He loved being a Nascar fan, he and his grandson Jody would take the camper to Louden for the weekend where Jody convinced him he should be a Denny Hamlin fan. Go number 11!!!

In 1997 Merle retired from the trucking business but didn't sit at home for long. He started substituting as a rural mail carrier out of the Orleans PO, which he did for 10 years. He drove truck for the farm during haying and corn cropping season. Merle also started his own snow plowing and lawn mowing businesses, continuing both till 2022.

Merle was known around town as the "Mayor", a title he gave to himself when West Glover became legally a part of Glover, so whether you knew him as Dad, Brother, Uncle (Unc) , Gramps, Great Grandpa, Senior or Mayor, he will be missed by many.

Merle is survived by his three daughters. Debbie Daigneault (Frank), Sandy Delabruere (Francis), Ellen McGreevy (Terry) and his daughter-in-law Vickie Young.  He is survived by one brother Neil Young and his wife Yolande. Twelve Grandchildren: Stephanie (Daigneault) Newton, Melinda (Daigneault) Gallagher, Shawn Lanoue, Lucien Delabruere, Merle Young III, Jody Young, Jeremy Young, Jethro Hayman, Annalei Babsom, Molly McGreevy, Kylie (Lyon) Conley and Kisha (Lyon) Parsons.  Twenty-six Great Grandchildren got to call him Great Grandpa and has three Great Great Grandchildren. He leaves behind many nieces and nephews also.

Merle was predeceased by his wife Carolyn, son Merle Jr, and his Granddaughter Renee Delabruere. Also, by his brothers George and wife Ruth, brother Mason, his sisters Emily Young, Maribelle Pray and husband Roger.

Merle's daughters would like to thank Jody, Eddie, Gary and Phil for always being there for him as his closest friends. Thank you to Leighann (you were a Godsend), Sue and Jenn and the VNA for helping us care for him the last few months. Thank you to all the rest of the family and friends who helped us in so many different ways to keep him at home. Merle was blessed by many visitors towards the end, thank you all. We also want to thank the ambulance crew who were always there whenever he needed them.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the "Steeple Fund" for the West Glover Church in care of Sarah Stevens, 16 Davio Place, West Glover, Vt. 05875.

Friends may call from 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. on Friday February 2, 2024 at the Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home, 4670 Darling Hill Road, Newport. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday February 3, 2024 at the West Glover Congregational Church with Rev. Evelyn Coup officiating. Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home & Cremation Service, locally family owned and operated.