Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

October 15, 2022

James Albert (Jimmy) Young, Jr. of Charlotte, NC, died on Saturday, October 15, 2022 at the age of 71.  He was born in Richmond, VA on April 25, 1951, the son of James Albert (Ab) Young and Elizabeth Bridgforth (Betty) Young. Jimmy grew up in Fayetteville, NC, but his parents drove to Richmond for his birth so that he would be born a “Virginia Gentleman”. 

He graduated from Terry Sanford High School in 1969, where he was voted “Best All Around” and went on to graduate in 1973 from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity. He made lifelong friends and memories at UNC, and in Charlotte, and he cherished those friendships until the day he died. 

Jimmy never met a stranger, and his friends would all agree that he was the life of the party. He had many nicknames - Buzzy, Whispering Jimmy, The One, The One Jimmy Young, and many others that can’t be listed here. A lifelong Tar Heel and true fan, his daughters were forbidden from having friends over during Carolina games, and he would only take phone calls from certain friends during games for superstitious reasons.

He was also a decent golfer back in the day, and enjoyed time on, and off, the golf course with friends at Charlotte Country Club and Grandfather Golf & Country Club. Jimmy loved music, and everyone close to him has a song that they associate with him - from Elvis to The Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin to James Taylor to Les Miserables. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. To know him was to love him. 

For the past 22 years, Jimmy worked for Bill Crawford and his wonderful team at Wilmar Inc., where he was well known for his sincere interest in the personal lives of his clients and their families. He joined Wilmar after managing the Leasing Department for Bank of America. 

Jimmy was a very loving father who taught his children and grandchildren important life lessons of kindness, loyalty, humility, and humor. When he took his daughters to elementary school, he asked them to do four things for him every day: make a new friend, do something nice for somebody, have a good time, and learn something. In a note to his grandson and namesake, James, he wrote: “If someone less fortunate than you needs your help, you help them. Always leave someone, someplace or something better than when you found it. Smile, always. It’s so much easier to smile than it is to frown. Smiling will also win you friends. Friends - surround yourself with more friends than you can count. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, the worst thing you can ever do is to hurt someone’s feelings.” Jimmy lived by this philosophy and touched many people throughout his life with his genuine warmth and kindness.  

Jimmy is survived by his devoted wife of 44 years, Katherine Ballagh (Kate) Young; his beloved daughters, Krissie Nuckols and her husband, Chris, and Katie Harris and her husband, Trip, all of Charlotte; his adoring grandsons, James and Richard Nuckols; his Bridgforth cousins and many friends. His wife, daughters, sons-in-law, and grandsons were his greatest pride and joy. He was predeceased by his parents, Betty and Ab, and brother Richard Bridgforth (Dick) Young. 

A memorial service will be at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte (2810 Providence Road, 28211) with a reception to follow at Charlotte Country Club (2465 Mecklenburg Avenue, 28205).  The service will be livestreamed at: https://boxcast.tv/view/james-young-jr-memorial-service-shi82tryvwgnih9qp1dh for those unable to attend in person.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Jimmy’s name to HopeWay, 1717 Sharon Road West, Charlotte, NC 28210 (www.hopeway.org/donate) or What’s Next Ministry,  338 S. Sharon Amity Road, P.O. Box 348, Charlotte, NC 28211(www.whatsnextministry.org)  

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC; 28204 (704) 641-7606. Online condolences can be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.