Donna J. “Dimp” Young was born Feb. 12, 1934, in Ashland, daughter of Henry and Mabel (Newcomer) Tucker. Her father called her Dimples, and the nickname carried through her life. She died Nov. 16, 2023, at UH Ashland.
She grew up on a small farm in the Paradise Hill community, across from Pifer School which her older siblings attended. Dimp would often cross the road, pretending to be a student before actually old enough. The teacher acknowledged the tiny intruder and most days granted permission to stay. Pifer closed one year before Dimp was old enough to start first grade, consolidating into Ashland City Schools, where she would graduate, class of 1952.
She met the right fellow helping on his aunt’s farm, which neighbored Dimp’s home. She married Stanley M. Young on June 25, 1951, and together they built Young Farms near Jeromesville. As newlyweds, Dimp pretended to know how to cook, and Stan pretended to love it, they told with laughter.
Starting out farming “on the shares” during her senior year of high school, Dimp’s economics teacher thought she was surely inflating both income and expenses on homework. It was accurate, reflecting their determination to own a farm of their own. Stan worked in town, the couple completing farm work late into the night.
When their first daughter was born in 1953, the happiest years began.
In 1959, adding six milk cows to their diversified farm, they became full-time farmers. They raised five children on the crop and dairy farm, buying adjacent farmland as it became available. At the height of their life together, Stan and Dimp owned 6 farms. They believed the farms were only theirs for their earthly time, and meant to be shared. Their children were taught to work every aspect of the farm.
Dimp cooked large, delicious meals for family and farm helpers, welcomed all with her generous spirit, coffee pot always perking, cookies and cakes abundant at the round table.
She took pride in mowing and landscaping the large lawns of the farms, planting flowers, placing flowers on many gravesites each Spring, sending cards, letters and meals to neighbors and friends and doing barn and field work when needed. She managed to look elegant doing it all.
She kept a journal nearly every year, which continued to the end. She oversaw rental homes on each farm, painting and wallpapering between renters. She approached each day with a can-do attitude, teaching herself many skills.
A clerk at Newberry’s as a teen, Dimp more recently helped at daughter Debi’s shop and enjoyed shared interests with each of her daughters. She treasured her role as Mimi to her grandchildren. She was a member of the Jeromesville Christian Church and a life-long member of the Canasta Club with Jeromesville friends. She lived on her own until earlier this year, moving to Brookwood Assisted Living where she enjoyed great care and friendship.
Dimp is survived by her children: Sandie (Jerry) Maynard, Sherry (Roger) Eichelberger, Debi (David) Harpster, Judie (Doug) Sutherland and David Young; 19 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren; brothers-in-law Howard Steigerwalt and Donnie Dutton; sisters-in-law Miriam (Bill) Slabaugh and Bonnie Young; also, Kim Young; many nieces and nephews; life-long friends Shirley Banks and Janet Zimmerman.
She was preceded in death by husband Stan in August 1995, siblings Charlene Fulk, Delores Steigerwalt, Charles Tucker, Nancy Tucker and Barbara Dutton; in-laws Raymond and Helen (Myers) Young, Marilyn Young and Larry Young.
A celebration of life will be held at Jeromesville Christian Church on Sunday, Dec. 3, with visitation from 2-3 p.m., service at 3 p.m. and a reception immediately following. Cards or donations in her memory may be sent to the family of Donna Young, 1772 CR 555 Jeromesville, Ohio 44840, and will be distributed to the church and volunteer fire department.
