L. Hemba Young

Thursday, September 14, 2006

SIKESTON -- Lowell Hemba Young, 94, died peacefully Monday, Sept. 11, 2006, at his home surrounded by friends and family.

Hemba was born May 16, 1912, near Purvis, Miss., to George Washington Young and Laura Caroline Hemba Young. He graduated from Mississippi Southern College with a BS in math and social studies. He was teaching math in Petal, Miss. when he met and married Wilma Drucilla Smith of Sandersville, Miss., in 1942. They moved to Sikeston in 1953 with their son, John, where Hemba worked as bookkeeper for Gala Mo Arts. He later worked as an agent for American Hospital and Life Insurance Co. and as farm manager for Edna Y. Husband Farms.

Hemba loved his church and was active in the Talowah Methodist Church in Talowah, Miss., the First Presbyterian Church in Hattiesburg, Miss., and the Hunter Memorial First Presbyterian Church in Sikeston. He served as a deacon and elder in the Sikeston Church and acted as moderator of the Synod of Mid America in 1980 and 1981 and as commissioner for SEMO Presbyterian Church Ministries. He was a delegate to the Presbyterian Church General Assembly where he participated in the historic reunion of the US Church (Southern) and the USA Church (Northern) after over 100 years of separation. Hemba was a member of the Sikeston Unit of Missouri Retired Teachers Association and served as president in 1982 and 1983.

Hemba was preceded in death by: his wife, Wilma Young; parents, George Washington Young and Laura Caroline Hemba Young of Purvis and Hattiesburg; two brothers, Lucas Van Buren Young of Purvis and George E. Young of Hattiesburg; five sisters, Edna Y. Husband of Sikeston, Annie B. Flanagan of Purvis, Stella Baughman of Hattiesburg, Ellen Swain Golliday Hodge of Blytheville, Ark., Sikeston and Rector, Ark., and Pina Hornsby of Columbus, Miss.

Survivors include: one son, John H. Young and wife, Diane Fogle Young, of Jonesboro, Ark.; and two grandsons, Brian John Young of Carrollton, Texas, and Alan David Young of Jonesboro.

Visitation for family and friends will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15 at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16 at Hunter Memorial First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. John Goodwin officiating.

Burial will be in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sikeston.

Pallbearers will be: Joe Carraway, Ken Rubenacker, Mike Geske, Richard Montgomery, George Swogger, Jim Starks and Bob Smith.

Honorary pallbearers will include: Gerald Howard, Joel Montgomery, Keith Conrad, Paul Schuerenberg, Lennie Whitworth and Loretta Warren.

Paid obituary