George William Young January 21, 1938 - March 4, 2024

Islamorada, Florida -A third generation native of Fort Lauderdale, George William Young passed away peacefully on March 4, 2024. Born on January 21,1938, George was the second baby born at the then newly completed Broward General Hospital. George attended Broward County public schools and graduated from Fort Lauderdale High School in 1955. He was brought up in a family with a long history of community service. His mother, Virginia S. Young, served on the School Board and was Mayor of Fort Lauderdale. His father, George F. Young, was a general contractor, as was his grandfather George Waugh Young. His grandfather established George Young Construction in 1911 and built many structures, residential and commercial, in Fort Lauderdale, including the Riverside Hotel, First United Methodist Church and many homes in the Las Olas Isles area. George worked on those projects during the summer and learned the family trade.

George was a true son of Fort Lauderdale. He relished his childhood days enjoying adventures with friends on the open water and fishing and diving. After graduating from high school, George forged a different path than his father and grandfather and attended Florida State University where he pursued degrees in Psychology (BA 1959) and Experimental Psychology (MS 1961). George was a deep intellect with a curious mind and remained interested in human psychology and counselling to the end of his life. Many called on him for advice in dealing with life’s challenges. He always answered the call. His intellect led him to further pursue his education at FSU and he received a PhD in Higher Education Administration in 1966. George always credited FSU with being a pivotal influence in his life. He remained a loyal FSU football fan his entire life, even though he married a Florida Gator, Dawn Wilson Young, his high school sweetheart, who predeceased him. They were married for nearly 60 years. He missed her every day after her death in 2018.

George was a man with many talents, but education was his calling. In 1969, after a short stint as dean of students at Valdosta State College, he returned to Fort Lauderdale for a position to which he would dedicate the next 30 years of his career: Vice President of Student Affairs at Broward College. He held that position from 19691996. During his tenure, he developed student affairs divisions on four campuses, watching enrollment grow from 3000 to 60,000 students. Many of the programs he developed are still in effect today. He was sought out for his expertise in the national and international education communities and served as a consultant to the Ministry of Kuwait (5 times), traveling there to assist in the development of a college system. He also consulted with the governments of New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates for the same purpose. He believed everyone was entitled to a college education and devoted his career to mentoring those who might not otherwise have had the means to attend college. His humility and kindness touched everyone who knew him.

Following the example of his parents and grandparents, George was a community leader. In the 1980s, he served as the founding chair of the South Florida AIDS/ HIV Foundation. He also served on the board of First Union Bank and as President of NASPA (the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators), the Broward Education Foundation

and chaired the Florida Commission on Community Service (now known as Volunteer Florida) as well as numerous other governmental educational associations.

After retirement, George applied the building skills his father and grandfather had imparted upon him, building his own home on Lower Matecumbe in the Florida Keys. He and Dawn enjoyed their retirement there and in Hendersonville North Carolina, where he spent many vacations visiting his grandparents as a child. His greatest joy, however, came as a grandfather to his three grandchildren. He and Dawn spent countless hours and time helping to mentor their three grandchildren into thoughtful and community minded human beings. He passed down many of his virtues and passions to them, including a love of history, Lionel train collecting and fishing. His collection of vintage Lionel trains is one of the largest in the country, the result of a passion he developed as a teenager while employed as the Lionel train repairman at Hobby House in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

George is survived by countless friends, adoring colleagues and his family, daughter Jenifer Young Pfleger and her husband Jeff Pfleger of Coral Gables, son George Wilson Young of Pompano Beach, grandchildren Henry John Pfleger of New York, Jeffrey Pfleger, Jr of Coral Gables and Katherine Jane Pfleger of New York. He is further survived by his sister Catherine Young Moore of Branson, Missouri and many nieces and nephews, all of whom adored him and frequently sought his guidance and advice.

Services will be held at First United Methodist Church in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 10 am in the sanctuary. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the “Hardee Center George Young Fellowship in Higher Education” at Florida State University, a fellowship George founded and dedicated himself to in recent years. To donate: https ://give.fsu.edu/fund/F08704.