As I Remember Mary Young…………………….
Members of District 19 have lost a lady, a friend, a cultured ally and a “right-hand helper”
of all things Toastmasters.
Mary was another “one of the first” women in joining Toastmasters in 1975. She lived the
“you have to be twice as good to receive half the recognition” of that era. And she did.
She actually “adopted” Toastmasters as a “calling” or a “vocation.”
She quickly learned all the “rules and regulations,” the “policies and practices.” She helped
all Toastmaster members learn, to strive and to excel achieving set goals. She was such
a good leader, she was appointed as an Area Governor within three years of joining..and….
she was District 19’s FIRST female District Governor for 1981-1982, leading the District to
receiving Distinguished status. Perhaps her greatest acknowledgement was receiving the
Presidential Citation from Toastmasters’ International President, Ted Wood, DTM at the
1986-87 International Convention in Columbus, Ohio, for all her achievements and service for Toastmasters.
All our years working together on various committees, projects, panels and District events,
I never met anyone more willing, helpful, knowledgeable, sincere and genuine. I most
admired her unfailing integrity. As I am recalling those years, I can’t remember she EVER said a bad word about anyone. She was my role model for my 43 years in Toastmasters.
Joan Johanson, DTM
Past International Director
See Mary’s obituary at http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/desmoinesregister/obituary.aspx?n=mary-young&pid=177787077&fhid=13567.