Phillip Ray Young

Phillip Ray Young, 88, passed away peacefully on February 11, 2025 at home near Beulah, Colorado, surrounded by his loving wife Karen Young, his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and niece and nephew. In the evenings leading up to his death, the family sang hymns at his bedside, reminding all of the hymns sung at Fitzhugh United Methodist Church in Fitzhugh, Oklahoma, where Ray grew up. They also sang some songs by Johnny Cash.

Ray Young was born in Fitzhugh, Oklahoma, on March 6, 1936, to Lucille and Orbra Young. He grew up working on the farm with his brother Dean and sisters Helen and Wanda. Growing up in central Oklahoma, Ray was active at school and in 4H. He met Karen Burrows in Ada, Oklahoma in 1957; they fell in love and married in May 1958. Ray served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960, rising to the rank of Specialist 5, and was stationed in Korea in 1958-1959. After his service, he and Karen moved to Odessa, Texas, where Ray worked for the Fluor Corporation, which was building an olefins manufacturing plant for the Rexene Corporation. Once the plant was completed Ray was hired by Rexene in 1961, and he and Karen reared four children in Odessa. Ray worked at the plant until he retired in 1999.

Ray was one of the friendliest, most caring people you could meet. A generous smile spread easily across his face as he lent a neighbor a hand or taught his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren how to do something like changing brake pads on a car, driving a stick shift, and guiding finances for retirement. He loved his family and took care of them in numerous ways. Working with Karen to provide a warm and loving home, Ray served as a role model to all his family for how to be calm and good-natured in times of trouble and how to enjoy the little things in life. He was a wonderful storyteller, from a line of storytellers, and regaled his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren with stories of farm-life; stories like “Old Peg,” the chicken with peg legs, and “Lil’ Runt,” the pig who thought he was a dog.

Ray is survived by his wife of 67 years, Karen; his four children, Jeff Young (Laura) of Conway, AR, Gregg Young (Jamie) of Highlands Ranch, CO, Dana McKay (Steve) of Tahoka, TX, and Laura Shumac (Daniel) of Beulah, CO; his nine grandchildren, Callie Castle, Kaylee Flowers, Colleen Sarkar, Levi McKay, Preston Young, Calder Young, Garrett Young, Phillip Moore, and McKenzie Howell; and his fifteen great-grandchildren Jeffrey Menini, J.R. Menini, Allie Menini, Landon Young, Ella Young, Maverick Young, Selah Smith, Ellah Smith, Zechariah Smith, Josiah Castle, Raya Young, Lori Flowers, Carter Flowers, Daniella Shumac, and Jocelyn Shumac. Ray is also survived by his sister Wanda Clifton Sanderfur, of Kingfisher Oklahoma, and numerous nieces and nephews, including Steve and Tina Burrows, of Roff, Oklahoma, whom the family would like to thank for all the help, love, and guidance they provided throughout Ray’s later years.

The family plans a small, private celebration of life. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, or Fight CRS.