Jonathan Young

JONATHAN "JY" YOUNG

San Francisco, Calif.

Following lengthy complications from a routine knee surgery and ill health, Jonathan ("JY") Young, 56, died on Jan. 7, 2018.

JY is survived by his "blood" family that adored him - notably, his older brother,

Jeff and his wife Tonya from Green Bay, Wis., and two younger sisters, Missy and Martha, and their husbands, Jack and Erick, from Minnesota's Twin Cities; as

well as his five nephews, Mitch, Tim, Greg, "godson" Eddie and Eli; and his three nieces, Carly, Maya and Elizabeth.

Equally important, JY is survived by his adopted "San Francisco" family that likewise adored him. From his co-workers at the SF Ballet, SF Opera, American Conservatory Theater, Local 16 and Island Creative, to his "Nellie's Gang," JY loved this "cast of characters" and would do (and did) anything for them.

Enviably, JY was able to live out his love for theatre. After receiving an undergraduate theatre degree from St. John's University-Minnesota and a graduate theatre design and technology degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, JY permanently relocated to San Francisco where he was able to be a part of and work with creative people who shared his passion. Over the next 30 years, JY became an accomplished, well-respected and universally liked stage carpenter and designer with the perfectionism of his beloved father (James) and the discerning eye of his equally beloved mother (Tootie).

With all that said, JY would like to be remembered for the inspiration of three things - that is, (1) the value of fine arts in our lives; (2) the need for perfectionism in one's work; and (3) the importance of one's family in all of its many forms.

For those who were touched by JY, you may further his memory with donations to Northern Voices Oral School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at 1660 County Rd. B W, Roseville, MN 55113, or www.northernvoices.org, which was the pre-K school for his godson Eddie.

A funeral mass will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018, at St. Phillip the Apostle Church, 725 Diamond St., San Francisco, CA 94114. Jon will be laid to rest next to parents Jim and Tootie at Cedar Memorial in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Online condolences can be made at www.cedarmemorial.com.