Irene Young

Irene Young lived a remarkable life of international adventure and deep family devotion that spanned eight decades and multiple continents. Born on September 27, 1942, in Edinburgh, Scotland, to William J Stewart and Susan Smith, she entered the world during the tumultuous years of World War II. Her Scottish roots in the historic capital city provided the foundation for what would become a truly cosmopolitan existence.

Growing up in postwar Edinburgh alongside siblings Dorothy Craig, Violet Davidson, and Donald Stewart, Irene was part of a generation that would witness unprecedented global mobility and opportunity. Her sister Violet, born in 1918 in Gourdon, Kincardineshire, was significantly older, suggesting the Stewart family's childbearing years spanned a considerable period. Despite the distances that would eventually separate them, Irene maintained awareness of her Scottish family throughout her life, with "many nieces and nephews in Scotland" keeping those ancestral connections alive.

What distinguished Irene's adult life was her extraordinary geographic mobility. She became "a world traveler who lived in many countries, including Finland, Italy, Taiwan, Crete, England and Germany" - a remarkable journey that took her from the Nordic landscapes of Finland to the Mediterranean beauty of Crete, from the bustling modernity of Taiwan to the historical richness of Italy and England. Each residence represented not just a change of address but an immersion into different cultures, languages, and ways of life that few of her generation would experience.

On December 24, 1982, in Germany, Irene married Roger B. Young, beginning what would become a devoted partnership lasting over three decades. Roger, born in Norfolk, Virginia, had served 29 years in the U.S. Army before retiring in 1991. Their Christmas Eve wedding in Germany likely reflected the international military community in which they moved, and their marriage would span multiple continents as Irene's wandering spirit found a compatible partner in Roger.

While traveling the world, Irene raised three children: Stephen Woodard, who would eventually settle in Wilmington, Delaware, with his wife Kimberly; Alison Woodward, who made her home in Camas, Washington; and Amber Holt, who resided in Tumwater, Washington, with her husband Jarett. The concentration of two of her children in Washington State would prove significant when Irene eventually chose to settle permanently in the Pacific Northwest.

Throughout her travels, Irene developed and maintained a passionate expertise in bowling that transcended mere recreation. She was "an avid bowler" who also "had her instructor's license and taught youth bowling all over the world". This certification through organizations like the United States Bowling Congress represented serious professional credentials that required formal training and examination. Her ability to teach bowling internationally demonstrated how she transformed personal passion into portable professional expertise that could provide both income and community connection wherever her travels took her.

When Irene and Roger finally settled in Washington State, they found themselves in the Lacey-Tumwater area, where Irene took on meaningful work in the cafeteria at Nisqually Middle School in Lacey. This position, which she held "for many years," placed her at the heart of the local educational community, where she contributed daily to student nutrition and school operations. The role required diverse skills from food safety protocols to positive student interaction, and represented the kind of steady, service-oriented work that anchored her to a specific community after decades of international mobility.

Community involvement remained important to Irene throughout her settled years. She was an active member of the British Wives Club, an organization serving expatriate women from the United Kingdom and Commonwealth nations. Her participation went well beyond membership - she "loved to dance and choreograph productions," bringing artistic leadership and creative vision to the organization's cultural activities. Her choreographic work required sophisticated skills in movement, spatial thinking, and group direction, enriching the social and cultural life of the expatriate community.

In her personal life, Irene found joy in simple but meaningful pursuits. She was devoted to her cats Andy and Bobby, and "fiercely loved her grand fur children Nalla, Sophie Mae and Daisy" - language that revealed her capacity for nurturing relationships that extended beyond human family. She found satisfaction in "doing yard work and gardening," connecting with the earth and seasonal cycles of the Pacific Northwest. Regular social lunches at Panera with friends provided ongoing connection and conversation that structured her leisure time.

Family remained central to Irene's identity throughout her life. She delighted in "spending time with her children and grandchildren," watching her family expand to include eight grandchildren: Jessica Skipper, Brandi, Kingry, Jordan Woodward, Dylan Woodward, Danny Woodward, Solaya Holt, Luna Holt, and Aura Holt. She lived to see the arrival of four great-grandchildren - Blake Skipper, Conner Skipper (who serves in the U.S. Marine Corps), Harlow Scilipote, and Everly Kingry - representing the fourth generation of her family line.

Tragedy struck the family when Roger passed away peacefully on June 24, 2014, at RooLan Nursing Home in Lacey. The obituary poignantly notes that Irene "missed him tremendously" during the twelve years she lived as a widow. Their enduring bond would be honored in her final arrangements, as she chose to be "laid to rest next to her husband Roger at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington".

On March 26, 2026, Irene Young's remarkable journey came to a sudden end in Tumwater, Washington. At 83 years old, she had lived long enough to witness tremendous changes in the world while maintaining the relationships and interests that gave her life meaning. Her cremated remains would join those of her beloved Roger at Tahoma National Cemetery, where Mount Rainier provides a majestic backdrop to their final resting place.

Irene Young's life story represents the possibilities and experiences available to her generation of internationally mobile women. From her Scottish birth through her worldwide travels to her ultimate settlement in Washington State, she demonstrated how to build meaningful communities and maintain family connections across vast distances and cultural differences. Her combination of professional expertise in bowling instruction, steady employment in school food service, creative contributions to expatriate organizations, and deep commitment to family created a life of both adventure and stability. She will be remembered as a woman who embraced the world while never losing sight of what mattered most: the people and animals she loved, the communities she served, and the simple joys that made each day meaningful.