A dedicated son, husband, father, and grandfather, John Austin Young lived a rich and fulfilling life.

Growing up in Basile, LA, John had many friends which remained as life-long friendships. Many of his closest friends were his cousins and members of the Basile High School 1950 6-Man State Championship football team. Time spent with these friends, "The Family," after retirement enriched his life with much laughter and joy.

After graduating from Basile High School and attending SLI (ULL), John married his high school sweetheart, Lula Marie Young. They were married for 66 years.

John took great pride serving his country, first driving a tank in the National Guard then working as an electronics specialist on the Kike Missile System in the U. S. Army. John's twenty-plus-year military career took him to many states and countries including New Jersey, Alabama, Alaska, New Mexico, Texas, Okinawa, Panama, and Korea. Although separated from family and friends in Louisiana, he embraced the traditions and cultures he felt fortunate to experience.

After retiring from military service, John had a second career as a farmer. He and "Lu" built a home on inherited family land, establishing their beloved Grand-Pere Farm in 1976 named in honor of his grandfather, Thomas Young. He and Lu improved the homestead, planting more than 100 trees throughout the years.

John was in all respects a Renaissance man, enjoying many hobbies and projects throughout his life: reading; panning for gold; stamp collecting; jewelry making; photography, including developing his own photographs; and woodworking, including carving, sign making, and building various structures on his farm.

In the 1980's, John became immersed in genealogy researching, writing, and editing a number of genealogy books, including The LeJeunes of Acadia and the Youngs of Southwest Louisiana, a comprehensive study of his family which traced his family tree back to Nova Scotia and France. He joined the Evangeline Genealogical and Historucal Society, serving as president and editor of the newsletter, La Voix des Prairies.

On the sign he carved for the entrance to Grand-Pere Farm, John bestowed the greatest compliment he knew to honor his grandfather calling him "un homme honnete," an honest man. His family is proud to now include him among the ancestors he so admired. And those who knew John would agree: He was "Un homme honnette."

John is survived by his daughters Cathy Young Zion (Harvey) of Macon, GA; Mona Young Redlich (Lowell) of Eunice, LA; Tina Young-Redlich (Lyle) of Eunice, LA; and son, John Austin Young, Jr. (Miho) of Champaign, IL. Grandchildren include Michael McLaughlin (Amber), Joanna Johnson, Zachary Zion, Rachel Zion, Andrew LeBlanc, Austin LeBlanc, Emily Barclay (Jason), Ian Redlich (Megan), Caitlin Clark, Hannah Hebert (Cade), Gunther Redlich, Hans Redlich, Sage Young, Theo Young, and Elena Young. He is survived by fifteen great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

John is predeceased by his wife, his "Sweetheart," Lula "Lu" Young; his daughter, Laurice Young, his father, (Joseph) Austin Young; his mother, Alida Rider Young; and his brother, Herman "Nookie" Young.

The family asks for those who desire, memorial contributions be made in Lu's memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or by phone 1.800.805.5856

A visitation will be held at Ardoin's Funeral Home in Basile on Wednesday, October 7, 2026 from 3PM until 8PM with a rosary prayed by Deacon Gary Gaudin at 6PM. Visitation will continue on Thursday, October 8, 2026 from 8AM until time of service. Funeral services will be held at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Basile at 10AM with an entombment to follow at the St. Augustine Mausoleum.