Elaine M. (Benfield) Young
Elaine Moll (Benfield) Young, 70, of Pitman, Schuylkill County, PA, and formerly of Huff's Church, passed away on Sunday, December
31, 2023 in Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA. She was the loving wife of Randy L. Young whom she married on September 20, 1975. Born in Allentown, Elaine was a daughter of the late Walter A. Benfield and Alverta M. (Moll) Benfield and was a 1971 graduate of Brandywine Heights High School, Topton. She then attended Kutztown University and Potomac Horse Center in Maryland, where she became certified in stable management, horse training and giving lessons. From 1973 until 1980, Elaine operated Starlit Stables in the Huff's Church area. After moving to Pitman, Elaine continued to care for horses on her neighboring farms until 2003. She also served as the Secretary for her husband's portable sawmill business, Hidden Springs Homestead, and as secretary for her husband while he was serving as a Certified Sewage Enforcement Officer until his retirement. Elaine was a devout Christian and was a former member of Huff's Union Church, Alburtis, and later became very involved with Zion E.C. Church in Pitman. She held weekly devotions at Friendly Nursing Home in Pitman, taught Sunday school, was the current President of the Missionary Society, and oversaw the church calendar. As a blind person, Elaine was an advocate for others living with blindness and visual impairments.
For nearly 20 years, Elaine was the coordinator for a group of blind people at Herndon Camp for their yearly meetings every July. She was also a member of Lehigh Valley Council of the Blind. Elaine loved to trail ride, had a deep love for animals, including her two beloved guide dogs, Trey and Flora, and loved reading or listening to audio books. She even led a local women's book club. In addition to her husband of 48 years, Randy, Elaine is survived by her two older sisters, Jeanette (Benfield) Schmoyer, Harleysville, PA and Lois Swann, Chicago, IL; three nephews, Matthew Benfield, Jonathan Benfield and Timothy Schmoyer; and two nieces, Karen Kalnmals and Katherine Johnson; and their families. Along with her parents,
Elaine was predeceased by her brother, Clark Benfield in 2001, and a niece, Valerie Ford in 2023. A funeral service to celebrate and honor Elaine's life will be held on Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. in Zion E.C. Church, 247 Zion Church Road, Pitman, PA with Pastors Todd Wolfe and Randy Sizemore co-officiating. A time of fellowship and remembrance will be held from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. following the service in the church for those local to Pitman. A graveside service and burial will be held at 1:30 p.m. in Huff Union Church Cemetery, 540 Conrad Road, Alburtis. There will be another time of fellowship and remembrance from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. following the service in Rohrbach Chapel on the church campus for those who cannot make the distanced trip to Pitman. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made in Elaine's memory to Herndon Camp Meeting Association, 114 Camp Meeting Road, Herndon, PA 17830. Ludwick Funeral Homes and Cremation Care, Kutztown and Topton, PA is in charge of arrangements. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.Ludwickfh.com.