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Mervyn William Young 1921-1994 |
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| MERVYN WILLIAM YOUNG was bom on 3 August
1921 in Riverton to parents Irven
Hair and Ann Emily
(Lambert) Young. He attended primary school at Waihoaka
and just before the commencement of his second year at
Southland Technical College, he contracted poliomyelitis,
which left him with a pronounced limp. This cut short
his promised potential in running and rugby, but did not
prevent him from leading an active life on the farm. It
also precluded NZ Army service during World War 2, although
he did spend a short time in the NZ Air Force as a
volunteer, at Taieri. In 1947, he bought from his father the rough back farm, previously owned by Lattas. He married Jean Hogg, a school teacher from Orepuki, in (when ?) 1951. When his brother Thomas Hudson Young retired to Invercargill in 1956, Mervyn bought his farm, part of which he had previously leased for a few years, and moved down to the main road. Then in 1963 be bought a small farm, previously owned by Arthur Hodges. In 1969 he purchased Dave Richards' farm across the road, and this returned to the Young family all the land once owned by James Hair Young, except for 60 acres. While still in his early twenties, Mervyn was elected a director of the Orepuki Dairy Company, a position he held until the dairy herd was sold. In 1971 he was appointed a Director of the Southland Farmers Co-op and associated companies, until 1987 when the company merged with the Alliance Freezing Company. He took an active part in community affairs, holding office in the Young Farmers Club, School Committee, Bowling Club and the National Party. He was a Past Master of the Freemasons Lodge and an elder of the Presbyterian Church. In 1984 Mervyn and Jean retired to Invercargill, their eldest son Geoffrey having taken over the property. Mervyn passed away in Invercargill on 19 May 1994, surviving his wife Jean by just over one year (Jean passed away in Invercargill on 10 April 1993). They leave five children - Marilyn Anne was born on 29 March 1952, Geoffrey Alan on 18 June 1953, Ernest Garth on 16 October 1956, Ian Lambert on 22 May 1958 and Carolyn Jean on 18 April 1964, all in Tuatapere.
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