John Young
February 17, 1941 - December 10, 2025
John Young was born on February 17, 1941 in Ponca City, Oklahoma to Jim and Marcella Young. He grew up in Ponca City with his older sister, Mary, younger sister, Janie and his little brother, Joe. Throughout his high school years he worked at his dad’s hotel in downtown Ponca City - the Jens Marie Hotel, located on the corner of First and Cleveland. He learned to fix things and enjoy doing it. In his years at Ponca City High School, he played catcher on the Po-Hi baseball team, During his senior year,1959, the team went to the State Championship game and lost that final game after playing 19 innings to break the tie. When they returned home, tired and sad from the loss, they cleaned up and dressed up for the Prom. What a day that was for him.
John attended college at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and graduated in 1964. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy and attended Officer’s Candidate School. He served 6 years on active duty, which included 2 tours in Vietnam. At the conclusion of his active duty, he taught Navy ROTC at the University of Oklahoma and earned his Masters of Business Administration in 1969. John retired at the rank of Lieutenant Commander in 1974 after 10 years of service, 6 active and 4 reserve. The Daughters of the American Revolution honored his military service when he received a handmade Quilt of Valor from them in 2022.
John married Gayle Northcutt on January 17, 1970 in the First Baptist Church of Ponca City. Earlier this year they celebrated 55 years of marriage. Their marriage took them to several Oklahoma cities. Their first home was a small one bedroom apartment in married student housing at the University of Oklahoma with twin beds strapped together. After graduation, they moved to an apartment in Moore, Oklahoma where John began his career with Oklahoma City’s First Federal Savings and Loan. John helped plan the construction of the Moore Branch. They also bought their first home in Moore as John moved up in that company from Assistant Vice President to Vice President. They continued to serve the church actively at First Baptist Church in Moore.
After the birth of their first child, a daughter, Marcella Ruth Young, the little family was transferred to Tulsa to open the eastern division of Continental Federal with a Tulsa Branch. John continued a successful career in the savings and loan industry and the couple was very active at First Baptist Church in Tulsa. In 1975, John was transferred back to the corporate headquarters of Continental Federal Savings and Loan in Oklahoma City to take the position of Executive Vice President. Soon after they moved to Oklahoma City, their son Charles Douglas Young was born. The family was active in Nichols Hills Baptist Church (Now Quail Springs Baptist Church).
John completed his career with Continental Federal and the family moved to Batesville, Arkansas where John was President of Batesville Federal Savings and Loan. While they were there, he also was active in the Chamber of Commerce and led his family to active service in First Baptist Church there. John taught a Men’s Sunday School Class and served the church on several committees. Their children began school there.
In 1981, they made another move to Amarillo, Texas when John became President of First Federal Saving and Loan. In Amarillo, the family was active in First Baptist Church where John served on several committees including the church Finance Committee. He also taught a couples’ Sunday School Class. He finished his professional, corporate life at First Federal and moved his family back “home” to Ponca City, Oklahoma in 1987.
John claimed that he “retired” early, but he actually began a rent-to-own business where he worked harder and longer than any job he ever had. He used the skills he learned in his early years to “fix up” houses and “sell” to help people own their own home. John was also a Rotarian and made a Paul Harris Fellow, that club’s highest honor. He was elected a deacon at First Baptist Church where the family was very active. In addition to his service to the church teaching several Sunday School classes, he taught a Community Bible Study at the Hutchin’s Memorial and then at First Baptist Church. In addition to those places of service to His Lord, John also served several area churches as Interim Pastor while the church looked for their new Pastor. He faithfully served churches in Fairfax, Shidler, Newkirk, Blackwell, Tonkawa, Arkansas City, and Ponca City.
Throughout his life, he loved his family and thoroughly enjoyed spending time at Lake Ponca and their Cabin there. His family grew to include daughter Marcy and her husband, Randy McConnell and their children Micah, Gracie, and Anna; son, Charlie and his wife Carsha and their children, Jace, Evin, Blake, Brooks, and Charleigh. John was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Marcella and sister, Jane, as well as Gayle’s parents, C.D. and Ruth Eleanor Northcutt.
John’s Memorial Service will be in the Worship Center of First Baptist Church, Fifth and Central in Ponca City on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 1:00 pm. Those unable to attend the Funeral Ceremony, may attend virtually on the Trout Funeral Home website, www.troutfuneralhome.com and click on the live-stream or toolbar icon on the top right corner after 12:45 PM. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory, 505 W. Grand Ave, Ponca City, OK, 74601.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Children’s Ministry or to the Youth Ministry of First Baptist Church, Ponca City.
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