William P. Young’s family immigrated to the United States from Germany and Russia in the early 1900’s. He was born in Bay City, Michigan in 1914. He was married for over 60 years to Mary E. Young. Survivors include his son, William C. Young, four grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.
“My dad loved the adventure of both the environment and the risk of business creation. He led the people he worked with by his driving work ethic and creative energy” recalls son, William C. Young.
Mr. Young died of heart failure Wednesday, September 22, 2004 at the age of 90.
Mr. Young and his wife, Mary bought Absopure 47 years ago. Mr. Young led the company as owner and president. When the business began, it had three trucks and seven employees. Today there are more than 200 trucks, over 300 employees and the business has bottling plants in Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin in addition to Michigan. It distributes bottled water over two thirds of the United States.
During his involvement with Absopure he created and built one of the most respected packaging/engineering companies for fluid filling systems in the country, W.P. Young Company.
From his experience of developing W.P. Young Company and Absopure Water Company he continued to expand the enterprise to include Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a consumer packaging company in 1967. The Plastipak organization has grown to be one of the five largest rigid plastic container companies in the country with fifteen plants across the U.S., South America and Europe.
He believed in helping youth obtain an education by supporting partnerships between students and the University of Detroit-Mercy. Through the Young Family Foundation William and Mary Young supported numerous scholarships awarded to students in various communities, including the employee group of Sons and Daughters of Employees of the Young Enterprise.
In the mid 1930’s Mr. Young lived in Sebewaing where he worked at the Sebewaing Brewing Company maintaining the filling operations. He also maintains a second home on Sand Point in Caseville.
He has made his journey today touching all who knew him with his leadership, values and vision.
Family will receive friends at A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Home, 32515 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak, Thursday, Sept 23rd 3:00 – 8:00pm and Friday 3:00 – 8:00. Prayer service Friday 7:00pm. Funeral Mass Saturday 10:30am at St. Clare of Assisi Church, 29200 W. Ten Mile Rd., Farmington Hills. Visitation begins at church at 10:00am
Memorial tributes to Alzheimer’s Association, 20300 Civic Center Dr., Southfield, MI 48076
