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The Rev. Carl Young, 103, died Dec. 20, 2011, at his home in Bethany Village in Mechanicsburg, Pa. He was the oldest member of the Baltimore-Washington Conference and the founding pastor of the Milford Mill UMC. A celebration of his life was held Dec. 29, in the Bethany Village Community Room.

In 1934 he and Lois Spencer Horton were married and he was assigned to serve Zion Evangelical Church in Scranton, Pa. He served a three-point charge in Mt. Holly Springs, Pa., then was appointed in 1936 to Walbrook Memorial Church in Baltimore where he stayed 17 years. In 1954, he became the founding and senior pastor of Milford Mill UMC in Pikesville and was there for 19 years until he retired in 1972.  Even then, he continued serving as Pastor of Visitation at Grace UMC in Baltimore for five years.

In 1977, he and his wife moved to Bethany Village. They both immediately became involved in the new community. He served as the first Campus Chaplain, which included writing biographies of all the residents. Lois Young died in 1981. Carl Young continued as editor of The Village for the next 10 years.  He married Martha Barner Boyer in 1983.

Young was instrumental in raising $1.5 million for the Health Care Center. In 1984, it was his vision that established the Care Assurance Fund for Bethany Village. It reached $100,000 by the end of the first year. In 1991 he was declared the “Father of the Care Assurance Endowment Fund,” which now exceeds $10,000,000 and supports a growing number of residents that have outlived their assets.

In recognition of his contributions to the community, Bethany Village gives the annual Carl E. Young Outstanding Service Award to one of its associates. In 2003, Young was chosen the “Cumberland County Outstanding Senior. In 2004, he was named the Distinguished Alumnus by the Albright College Alumni Association.

He was preceded in death by his wives, Lois Horton Young and Martha Barner Boyer Young.

Survivors include his four daughters: Mary Lois Miller of Cabot, Pa.; Margaret Wray of Durham, NC; Ruth McGuire of St. Paul, Austria; and Kathryn Carmines of Mechanicsburg, Pa.; 15 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.

Condolences may be sent to Mary Lois Miller, 1027 Winfield Road, Cabot, PA 16023.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Albright College JOY Endowment Scholarship Fund, Thirteenth and Bern Streets, P.O. Box 15234, Reading, PA 19612 or to Bethany Care Assurance Endowment Fund, 325 Wesley Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.