Louise L. Young
English Teacher at BYH

Louise Leonard Young, Teacher of English at BYH
Louise Leonard Young

Brigham Young High School Faculty


Louise Young was an excellent teacher who had both a serious and a humorous side, a combination that students love so much.

The children of many Brigham Young High School faculty members attended BYH while their father or mother was teaching there. Louise Young was one of the few who had two children who graduated from BYH before she even became a faculty member.

Louise Leonard was born on June 27, 1903 in Farmington, Utah. Her parents were George M. and Mary Ann Sanders Leonard.

Louise Leonard graduated Davis County High School in 1920, and then from the University of Utah in 1926. She became a school teacher with her first assignment in Tooele. She taught in school systems in Davis, Salt Lake, and Tooele counties before she became a faculty member at BYH in the 1960s.

Louise became engaged [photograph] to Scott Richmond Young -- known as S. Richmond Young -- and they were married on November 12, 1928 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.

They had six children, two of whom graduated from BYH: Marilyn F. Young (Gene F. Deem); Carol Gay Young [BYH Class of 1956] (Dale A. Hammond); Mary Margaret Young (Carl Morrison); LeGrande L. "Grit" Young [BYH Class of 1954] (Sherrie Steed); Russell J. Young; and Richard J. Young.

Their BYH son, LeGrande L. "Grit" Young, was athletic and musical. He played on BYH's varsity Wildcat basketball team, baseball team, and he was Co-Captain of the football team. He also participated in track and field, and was a member of the BYH Ski Club. Nicknamed "Grit" -- he was recognized as a Letterman, played in the band, and sang in the chorus.

After graduating from BYH in 1954, he continued his education at BYU, where he earned a BS in Public Policy and graduated in 1960. He played on the BYU Cougar football team at BYU in the late 1950's. He led the school in scoring in 1955, and in rushing and total offense in 1959. He earned three varsity letters at BYU, even though he spent 3 years away as a missionary.

LeGrande then enrolled at the University of Utah School of Law, where he received a JD in 1963. He married Sherrie Steed.

LeGrande Young became a corporate attorney in Manhattan, New York, and the Young family lived in nearby Greenwich, Connecticut. He was Vice President, Corporate Secretary and General Counsel of Raytech Corporation. In May of 1989 LeGrande became bishop of the Norwalk LDS Ward. He was a great-grandson of John M. Young, a brother of Brigham Young.

LeGrande and Sherrie Young are the parents of legendary BYU & San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young. Steve is the oldest of five siblings, Mike, Melissa, Tom and Jim in that order.

The BYH daughter of Louise and Richmond, Carol Gay Young, excelled in public speaking, drama, music and journalism. She represented BYH in regional contests in Oratory and Interpretive Speech. She participated in Childrens Theater, Quill & Scroll, Pep Club, Thespians, and served as Feature Editor of the Y'ld Cat student newspaper. Like her brother, she sang in chorus. She served on the Junior Prom Committee. Following her graduation in 1956, she married Dale A. Hammond.

"Try to imagine," Carol says, "living across from one of the best beaches in the world, among the palm trees where the temperature hovers in the 80's most of the year, plus being close to a beautiful temple. This best describes where Dale and I live in beautiful Hawaii.

"We moved to Hawaii in August 1959, just two months after our marriage and, except for three years between 1981 and 1984 when we had a great experience living in Las Vegas, Nevada, we are still enjoying this island paradise.

"We have six girls (five living) and two boys. I’ve been pretty busy being a mother and grandmother. I have taken quite a few interesting classes at BYU–Hawaii where my husband was a professor of Chemistry until his retirement in 2003. It is too bad I didn't have him around when I was taking chemistry in high school!

"Subsequently, I took enough classes to graduate in Family Science from BYU in 1990, when my husband went back to Provo for a six-week professional development leave.

"I have been involved in a variety of things such as drama, music, painting, writing, fitness, dancing, children's activities, etc., anything but a dull life!

"I still feel 'as crazy as ever' but who cares, I have fun. I taught early morning seminary. (In fact, I remember it was in Seminary Old Testament Class that I received the nickname, 'Gummy' after certain classmates stuck gum in my skirt zipper for a joke).

"I taught piano lessons for twenty years, belong to the Laie Choral Union, tend grandchildren, and served as the elementary school PTA President, and BYU-Hawaii Women’s Organization president.

"We have been able to travel to a number of different countries on school and other assignments, and around the USA to see our family. There have been the usual ward and stake church positions, the latest as co-director of the Laie Hawaii Family History Center, where my husband and I have also served part-time as missionaries. We were released as missionaries, but still are directors.

"All in all, I am not super-woman, but have lead a pretty crazy and interesting life since leaving good old BY High."

Louise's husband, S. Richmond Young, was an employee of Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph for 33 years, and was promoted to supervisor of the directory department. He had served as bishop of the Provo 13th Ward for seven years. He became president of the High Priests Quorum in his ward, and later served as a member of the East Provo Stake High Council.

Richmond was the son of Seymour B. and Carlie Louine Clawson Young. He was born on June 12, 1904 in Salt Lake City. He graduated from Granite High School and the University of Utah. In 1942 they moved from Logan, Utah to Provo, Utah.

S. Richmond Young died on Thursday, September 21, 1961 of a heart attack while attending a session at the LDS Temple in Salt Lake City. Earlier in the day he had enjoyed lunch with his brother, S. Dilworth Young.

Following the death of her husband, Louise Young decided to return to teaching, and was soon employed as a member of the BYH faculty, serving until the school was closed in 1968. She also served as a Provo Temple worker, and served an LDS mission to Florida.

Louise Leonard Young was energetic and well traveled in retirement. She loved her family and frequently visited them all over the country. She maintained close contact with a large group of friends.

She died of natural causes on Wednesday, March 1, 1989, at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, Utah. She was 85. She was survived by her six children, 34 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, two brothers and one sister: Marvin P. Leonard, Burnham Leonard, and Mary Leonard Onstott. She is buried beside her husband in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.


Family Relationship to Brigham Young

The children of Louise Leonard Young & Scott Richmond Young are related to Brigham Young as follows:
Great-great-grandchildren of John M. Young, a brother of Brigham Young

Scott Richmond Young
Great-grandson of a brother of Brigham Young
His parents: Seymour B. Young & Carlie Louine Clawson Young

Seymour B. Young
Grandson of a brother of Brigham Young
His parents: Joseph Young & Jane Adeline Bicknell Young

Joseph Young
Son of a brother of Brigham Young
His parents: John M. Young [brother of Brigham Young] & Abigal Nabby Howe Young

John M. Young
Brother of Brigham Young & former Mayor of Salt Lake City
His parents: Joseph Young & Elizabeth Hayden Young

Joseph Young
Father of John M. Young & Brigham Young
His parents: William Young & Susanna Cotton Young
Joseph & Elizabeth Young had 11 children,
including John M. Young & Brigham Young


Hold cursor over photo for identification numbers:

1. LaMar Drew (5th grade); 2. Donald Peck (Math); 3. Louis Chatterley (Math); 4. (???); 5. Douglas Garbe (Math); 6. (???); 7. Don McConkie (History); 8. Don Jesse (Seminary); 9. Irene Ricks (Kindergarten); 10. Ed Pinegar (Seminary); 11. Jerry (Gerald N.) Lund (Seminary); 12. Wallace Montague (Seminary); 13. Leland S. Knight (6th Grade); 14. Verl Allman (Science); 15. Boyd Hunter (Band); 16. Richard Wootton (Counselor); 17. Idell Thurston (Registrar); 18. Donna Lee Turley (Counselor); 19. Thomas Burr (PE / Wrestling & Track Coach); 20. Faye Buttle (7th Grade Core).

Also: 21. Anna B. Hart (Reading); 22. June Searle (2nd Grade); 23. Elizabeth Adamson (4th Grade); 24. Roberta Priestly - (Home Ec); 25. June Berry (Librarian); 26. Courtney Leishman (PE / Football, Basketball & Baseball Coach); 27. Ross Hilton (Shop); 28. Garth Allred (French / German); 29. Louise Young (English); 30. Wallace E. Allred (1st Assistant Principal); 31. Jane Storrs (3rd Grade); 32. Lowell D. Thomson (Principal); 33. Mima Rasband (1st Grade); 34. James Blankenship (Art); 35. Fred Webb (Chorus); 36. Barbara Jensen (PE / Girls Sports Coach); 37. Roger Cook (Seminary); 38. Connell Osborne (English); and 39. Hal Williams (Journalism / English).

Missing from photo:

Kay Campbell (Elementary principal); LaMar Hendrickson (English); Owen Bennion (Science); Gary Penrod (History); Tom Babb (Spanish); Kenneth Bowthorpe (Drama); Kay Mendenhall (Business); Shirlene Barrus (3rd & 4th Grade); and Carma Sandberg (Elementary Librarian).

Special thanks to Julie A. Clark '68 for providing the identifications.


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