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Faith (Olson) Young passed away on Saturday morning, November 14, 2015.
Mary Faith (Olson) Young was born on May 28, 1920 on a homestead near Franklin, Montana. At the age of 11 months she and her grandmother, Eva Mae Plunkett, lived over the old Alert Newspaper where Aunt Eva Plunkett was employed as the associate press reporter. Mary had the rare opportunity to meet many of the old pioneers of Jamestown. Mary attended St. John’s Academy for 12 years, graduating from St. John’s Academy in 1938. Mary was active in Jolly Jane’s 4-H and created Marionette puppets that their 4-H club presented shows all over the state, especially to the Little Country Theatre at NDSU in Fargo, ND. The Marionettes are now in the ND Heritage Center in Bismarck, ND.
Mary Faith attended NDSU for 3 years, leaving NDSU during WWII to work at the Department of Censorship in Washington, D.C., in 1941. While working in Washington, Mary met her husband, Chief Gunner’s Mate Ernest Young at the USO at the Presidential Ball.
Mary Faith Olson and Ernest Young were married at St. James Catholic Church, August 21, 1944. They had 3 children, Mary Catherine, David Ernest, and Rebecca Ann.
Mary was very active in Scouting and Mary had a Girl Scout troop for 11 years. Mary received the “Thanks Badge” from her Troop and later a life membership from the National Girl Scout Council. In addition, Mary was honored for her work in Cub Scouts. Mary was President of the PTA and the Alumni Association at St. John’s Academy.
Mary and her husband Ernest helped start the Ft. Seward Wagon Train in 1969. Together they tracked many historic trails throughout the state.
Mary Faith Young was director of the Teen Canteen for 14 years. Mary and her husband Ernest were recognized with an appreciation award from the Canteen Jr. Board in 1973.
In 1974, Mary was appointed by Governor Link to the State Historical Board. In 1975, Mary was honored by the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce for the “Outstanding Citizen Award.”
Mary Faith organized the “Farewell to the Lloyd’s Opera House” in 1975. In 1976, Mary Faith Young received an award for Outstanding Efforts toward The Jamestown Community Bicentennial.
In 1977, Mary received a Certificate of National Commendation from the American Association for State and Local History and Governor’s Leadership Award.
Mary Faith was a life-long active Preservationist; she wrote the nomination for the 1883 Stutsman County Courthouse (the oldest in ND) and the St. James Basilica. Mary was Chairman of Publishing the Centuries of Stories and researcher in 1983. She also gave history tours for the 4th graders for the Jamestown schools. In her honor, the 4th graders and teachers planted a tree in Klaus Park and Mary received an award for 19 years of service to the public schools in 1988. In 1988, Mary Faith Young was given the Excellence Award in Local History from the North Dakota State Historical Board. In 1990, Mary received the Certificate of Recognition from the Modern Wood-Men of America, Camp 1477, Jamestown, ND.
Mary received the Distinguished Graduate Award in 1991 from the Department of Elementary Schools of the National Catholic Education Association.
In 1992, Mary received a Humanities Grant to speak on the Historic Sibley Trail. In 2002, Mary received the award for her support of the Bureau of Reclamation Centennial Anniversary, “A Century of Water for the West” by the U.S. Department of the Interior. In 2006, Mary received the Conservation Education Award from Stutsman County Soil Conservation District for local history lectures. In 2007, Mary received the “Johnny Apple Seed Award” on Arbor Day from the Jamestown Park Board.
In 2009, Mary was given the award of one of the Most Beautiful Women of North Dakota of which there were 28 women selected.
In 2012, Mary received a Humanities Grant for recording and presenting the history of the Ft. Seward to Ft. Totten Trail they tracked in 1969. Mary and her daughter, Rebecca Young-Sletten, presented lectures on numerous occasions on the Ft. Seward to Ft. Totten Trail.
Mary Faith (Olson) Young was a lifetime long member of St. James Basilica. She was a member of the Tabernacle Society since 1947. She belonged to Lady of Lords Circle and was the President of the Circle and Tabernacle. In 2014, Mary helped with the Trinity Celebration and recorded a DVD on the history of St. James Church.
Mary was a member of the Sons of Norway, American Legion Auxiliary, VFW Auxiliary, Jamestown Art Association, National Historic Preservation Association, National Audubon Society, and the Pearl Harbor Association.
Mary Faith is survived by her daughters, Mary Catherine Lutz, Jamestown, and Rebecca Young-Sletten and Gary Sletten, Bismarck, ND; her grandchildren, Teresa Urlacher and Michael Urlacher, Wahoo, Nebraska, Sarah Schmidt, Fargo, Amanda Delaney and Bobby Delaney, Bismarck, and Katherine Young (mother, Doreen Young). She is also survived by her 6 great grandchildren, MaKenna Urlacher, Joshua Urlacher, Gabriel Buehler, Grace Schmidt, Faith Schmidt, and Emily Sletten. She is also survived by her brother, Raymond Olson and Mary Olson, Billings, Montana; and sister, Eva McDunn, Great Falls, Montana. She is also survived by her 2 exchange students, Shigeru Endo, Japan, Beatrice (Ortiz) Christian and Blake Christian, Littleton, Colorado; and special friends: Maris and Jay Thompson, Dorothy Dockter, Jim Harty, Rosine Stahlecker, Tim and Joanne Geinert, Joe, Joshua and Geinert family, Sandy Tuhy, and Michael Williams; special hospice friends: Cheryl, Sybil, Kathleen, and Vicki; JMC Hospice, Sons of Norway, the 1883 Stutsman County Historical Courthouse Committee, and the ND State Historical Society.
Mary Faith Young will be greatly missed by her family and numerous people Mary housed and entertained in her home. Mary will be very much missed by the Jamestown community for all her great contributions to their rich history and community programs. Mary Faith Young will also be greatly missed by her church community, St. James Basilica for all her help in preserving their history.
Mass of Christian Burial: 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, November 17, 2015 at St. James Basilica, Jamestown, ND with Father Sean Mulligan officiating.
Visitation: An hour before the services at the church.
Vigil: 7:00 p.m., Monday, November 16, 2015 at St. James Basilica, Jamestown.
After the Mass, Mary’s body will be donated to the University of North Dakota, after which time her ashes will be interred next to Ernest at Calvary Cemetery, Jamestown.
An online guest book is available at www.liskofuneralchapel.com.