Noted sportsman and family man’s life honoured

Noted sportsman and family man’s life honoured

Noted farmer, sportsman and family man Kevin Max Young was born in Mount Gambier on June 19, 1930, the first child of Leonard (Jerry) and Ruth Young.

He was a loving older brother to Yvonne Hender and Gerald Young.

The family lived at Woolshed Road, Glencoe for the first seven years of Kevin’s life until they moved to Mount Gambier for his father’s work. Kevin attended Glencoe Primary School for two years, then relocated to Mount Gambier Primary School and later attended Mount Gambier High School.

He was interested in all sports and was mechanically-minded. Growing up, he would invent schemes to entertain his brother and sister, like building a hand-wound movie machine, rigging an aerial on the roof of the family home to operate radio crystal sets, he would build tree houses and would make shadows behind curtains for fun.

He would also ride his bike for miles, often to the Leg of Mutton Lake to catch yabbies just so that he could ride down the hill.

In 1943, when Kevin was just 13 years old, he left school to return to Glencoe to help manage his Auntie Muriel’s dairy farm – as well as help her care for her five children.

Times were hard and Kevin rarely had time off, missing many of the care-free teen years that his friends enjoyed. Kevin kept himself busy with work on the farm, while also having a job at Clements Sawmill in Glencoe.

But Kevin’s passion was farming. He continued farming for many years on his Auntie Muriel’s farm, until she decided to move to Mount Gambier with her children.

He then leased a property of his own ‘on the hill’ on Diagonal Road, Glencoe.

He bought a herd of cows and worked on the farm. Kevin married Margaret Bignell in St Brendan’s Church, Glencoe, on February 16, 1954. After their marriage, they moved into a very modest house that was on the farm.

They welcomed their first child, Mardi in 1955 and subsequently purchased the farm in 1958 – the same year their son Brendan (Ben) was born.

They then welcomed their third child, Adrian in 1961. Kevin and Margaret established Glenmar Holsteins in 1966.

Kevin also made use of his tractor and machinery, doing contract work throughout the year for farmers around Glencoe and beyond.

Kevin and Margaret had become members of the Holstein-Friesian Association of Australia in 1965 and Kevin became more actively involved in the South East sub-branch at a Committee-level from 1969 to 1989.

In 1988, Kevin and Margaret retired from the farm and relocated to Millicent. The farm was taken over by Adrian and his wife Sue and is now owned and managed by his granddaughter Angela and her husband Ben and children Shae and Connor with Benlargo Holsteins.

When away from the farm, Kevin loved sport. If he was not playing it, he was watching it on TV, reading about it in the paper, or listening to it on the radio.

Kevin played football and cricket for Glencoe in his younger years and also served in key administrative roles. Kevin was recognised as a Life Member of the Glencoe Football Club in 1962 and the Glencoe Cricket Club in 1972.

He was a life-long supporter of the Glencoe Football Club and until recent years still attended games regularly to support the Murphies, with Margaret by his side.

After retiring from football and cricket, Kevin joined as a member of the Millicent Golf Club in 1966, at 36 years of age.

He played golf most Thursdays and weekends. He dedicated many years to the Millicent Golf Club, volunteering in his spare time to maintain the course, as well as holding the positions of committee member, vice-president, president and manager.

He also dedicated his time to the Golf SE and the Lower South East Veteran Golfers Association.

His tireless commitment to golf at a local and state-level also saw Kevin receive an Australian Centenary Sports Medal in 2000, Centenary Medal in 2002 and an Order of Australia Medal in 2006.

Kevin considered his OAM a family award, explaining to the media at the time that he could not have done all the things he has in life without his wife and family.

Kevin and Margaret were such a great team. She was right by his side – whether it be milking, helping on the farm, cooking beautiful meals and supporting him with his many social pursuits.

Their hospitality and warmth was unforgettable. Despite his many awards and accolades, Kevin was modest and humble – and he made his family incredibly proud.

Kevin dedicated his life to Margaret, his three children (Mardi, Ben and Adrian), nine grandchildren (Craig, Kristy, Kym, Lauren, Emma, Amy, Angela, Josh and Dillan) and 20 great-grandchildren (Mitchell, Daisy, Edie, Oliver, Zoe, Tyler, Lacey, Jed, Lenny, Sophie, Alyssa, Faith, Maya, Indi, Taj, Shae, Connor, Jiordan, Aston and Ella).

He was known by his grandchildren as one of the world’s greatest teasers. Kevin spent his last two years living at Boneham Aged Care Services in Millicent along with Margaret.

He received incredible care, formed friendships and took part in various activities.

The funeral for Kevin was held at St Alphonsus Catholic Church in Millicent and the wake followed at the Millicent Golf Club.

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