Obituary of Norma Jean Young

Norma Jean Young was born to the late Albert Wiss Johnson and Mary Louise McFerrin Johnson on April 3, 1942, in Oakland, TN. She peacefully transitioned from this life to her eternal home on Monday, October 9, 2023, at Daleview Care Center in Farmingdale, NY. Norma Jean, known as Jean to all who knew her, was the baby of her family and often shared stories of life on the farm with her siblings. Jean attended Tennessee State University, where she met and fell in love with the love of her life, Bobby Lewis Young. They were joined in holy matrimony on February 21, 1964. Leaving their roots in the South, they landed in Brooklyn, NY, where they began raising a family. After eight years in Brooklyn, Bobby and Jean picked up their family and moved to Amityville, NY, in 1972. Jean spent 31 beautiful years with Bobby until his untimely death in 1995. Jean loved young people and often adopted many of her children’s friends as her own. Jean was a teaching assistant at Amityville Union Free School District for over 25 years. Many of the teachers she worked with became lifelong friends. During this time, Jean attended Farmingdale College and pursued her degree in Elementary Education. Jean loved being around her biological family and her church family. She enjoyed gathering for the holidays and special occasions. She loved the color red and would often be seen with beautiful red fingernails. Jean was kind, compassionate, giving, and loving yet, sometimes incredibly stubborn. Jean was a fighter and a walking miracle, surviving breast cancer, lung cancer, a stroke, and two bypass surgeries on her right leg. She defied the odds in her health until dementia began to steal her memories. Jean lived with her daughter Nicole D. Bradley for over 12 years until she was placed in the Daleview Care Center for the last two years. Jean was a faithful member and evolved as a Church Mother at St. Paul Kingdom City Church in Hempstead, NY under the leadership of Bishop Howard & Apostle Anita Kennedy. She enjoyed the songs of the Lord and could often be found doing her “Holy Ghost Bounce” as the praises went forth. Mother Young loved God and His people. Mother Young had a great smile and an even greater heart. She served as an Usher and Church Mother. She will be sorely missed. She meets at the gates of heaven: her parents, Albert Wiss and Mary Louise McFerrin Johnson, her brothers Usyless Johnson Sr. and Laurence Johnson Sr. She leaves to cherish her memory: her four children, James A. Young of Fort Worth, TX; Pamela R. Young of East Islip, NY; Angela J. Young of Baldwin, NY; Nicole D. Bradley (Henry B. Bradley III), Coram, NY; two sisters, Eunice Larue Graham (Clinton Graham) of Rockville Centre, NY and Juanita Currie of Ripley, TN; three grandchildren, Franchesca A. Young, Ashley J. McDowell (Eric McDowell), and Alexandrea B. Young-Tuten; 3 great-grandchildren (Deonta Sherrod, Malakai Young, Christopher Jackson), a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.