Vivian "Imogene" Young (Lebanon)'s Obituary
Vivian “Imogene” Young was born October 10, 1935, in Bernie, Missouri to Herbert Burgan Edmundson and Emma Odessa Swinney Edmundson. She passed away Sunday, June 22, 2025, at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, Missouri at the age of eighty-nine years, eight months and twelve days of age.
Imogene was the youngest of six children raised in the boot heal of Missouri on a farm close to the town of Bernie. Her family ran the country store which shaped her life at a young age. Her family was active in the community and church where she gave her life to God at her hometown church, Bethany Baptist Church.
Imogene hopped a bus to St. Louis at age 16 and began a series of jobs, always looking for a better position. Her resume includes waitress, short order cook, handbag manufacturing, medication bottling, and bomb assembly. Yes, bomb assembly. Her most life changing job was cook at White Castle, a hamburger establishment. This is where she met her future husband, Russell Newton Young (Newt). Russell was a wounded veteran, returning from the Korean War, slated to become her boss at White Castle. Skeptical, Imogene gave him a chance, worked hard and fell in love. Russell and Imogene courted for five years and were married on June 29, 1957.
Imogene flourished as a wife, mother and home maker. Her greatest joy was tending to the needs of her family and finding creative ways to solve problems. As a wife, Imogene was a strong and equal partner in the business of marriage. Russell made the plan and Imogene made it happen. As a mother, Imogene was a kind, sweet, soft-spoken leader who raised her children to be strong, fair, and loving. And as a home maker, Imogene kept house and tended garden, but she took action to help others in her community, always feeding neighbors, watching children and caring for the elderly.
Russell and Imogene also ran a cattle farm in Wright County, Missouri. Imogene’s sweet, soft nature took on Massy Ferguson. She could drive a tractor better than any of the men in the field, hop off and make the best fried chicken dinner, topped off with blackberry pie for dessert, then, back to the field for more rounds with the Massy.
Imogene’s years of hard work picking cotton in southeast Missouri gave her a work ethic no one had seen before. She said, “Driving a tractor is easy.”
Imogene eventually went back to work caring for children at a church daycare center, from which she eventually retired. Her role as care giver quickly grew into chief cook and bottle washer. Imogene’s versatility and willingness, lead to her working every position at the daycare including acting director. But her true passion was working with the children, teaching them A, B, Cs, kindness and endless love. It is estimated she taught over 300 toddlers how to tie their shoes.
Imogene’s retirement years brought her joy spending time with her grandchildren, gardening, canning, traveling and enjoying gospel singings with her husband.
Imogene is preceded in death by her parents, siblings and husband. She is survived by her children, Matthew Young and wife Patti of Edwardsville, IL, Connie Young of Camdenton, MO, Carrie Schlemmer and husband Jeffery, of St. Louis, MO.; grandchildren, Katie Slater and husband Warren, Nicholas Young and wife Bella; her great-grandchildren, Riley Slater and Victor Young; extended family, Sean McElligott and wife Renee and children Mason and Natalie McElligott.
Service for Imogene Young will be Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 12 p.m. at Holman-Howe Funeral Home. Visitation will be Saturday, June 28 from 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Coldwater Cemetery.
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