Mansfield native Jon Young honored for 50 years with Mansfield Rotary & Masons

Jul 25, 2023

MANSFIELD — Retired businessman Jon Young was encouraged by his former boss to join the Mansfield Rotary Club to network with other community members.

His membership and service were inspired by more than his work, however. The 1954 Mansfield Senior High School graduate had a daughter, Toni Young, who had ALS and used a wheelchair her whole life.

Young said his daughter has been the only two-time winner of the McGowan Courage Awards to date.

“She was 21 when she died,” he said. “She was very well-known around this town and incredibly smart. A lot of my volunteering was inspired by her, especially helping the Rehab Center because they helped her for so many years.”

Young was honored in April for 50 years of active membership in the Mansfield Rotary Club and the Mansfield Masonic Lodge.

His extensive service across the Rotary Club, Masons, Elks Club, Sertoma international and First Congregational Church included a record of more than 200 years of active community involvement.

Young accepted the honor with humility, saying many people have been in service organizations for as long as he has.

“Maybe not all at the same time, I suppose,” he said. “Time flies when you’re having fun. I don’t think I could give you the right dates for when I did what.”

Young’s working years spanned multiple industries, working in the food vending business for 25 years and ending his career in jewelry. He worked with the wholesale jeweler National Ring for 25 years and later founded his own jewelry business, Promark.

“I’ve always been business-oriented and still enjoy entrepreneurship,” the 87-year-old said. “And I love to keep up with what’s going on in Mansfield.”

Young played an instrumental role in bringing the Johnny Appleseed mural to life in downtown Mansfield and was involved in the installation of the outdoor clock at the Richland Carrousel.

He also helped bring playgrounds to North Lake Park, Sterkel Park and the Catalyst Rehab Center. Young is a past president of the Rotary Club and was on the Mansfield Elks Lodge board of directors. He is also a member at Mansfield’s First Congregational Church.

Once an active bicyclist and golfer, Young has now embraced indoor walks with his wife Kristin as their most frequent form of exercise.

“I still watch golf on TV and we like to follow Cleveland Guardians baseball,” Young said. “I’m usually doing something in my yard every day. Not necessarily because I want to, but when you dedicate that much time to something, I guess it would be a hobby.”

Young has six children, 15 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

“They’re growing up fast, but they keep us busy,” he said.

Scott Young, past president of the Mansfield Rotary Club and Jon Young’s nephew, joined Rotary in 2015.

“I was sponsored into the club by DeLee Powell, but I thought joining Rotary was a good legacy to my uncle,” Scott Young said. “He’s got to be a record-setter. I don’t know of anyone who has served locally as long as he has.”

Young said his uncle hated Rotary Zoom meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic, but he never missed a meeting.

“Not everyone is a 100% attendance person, but he is,” Young said. “Rotary has been a big part of his life among many other projects.”

Jon Young said he plans to continue active community service as long as he can.

“I’m pretty healthy for my age,” he said. “Of course, I still wake up with some aches and pains but I haven’t had any major surgeries that have prevented me from moving around.

“It’s just nice to help other people when you’re able to. I’m a lifetime Mansfielder and want to see this community continue to grow.”

Ball State journalism alumna. Passionate about sharing stories, making good coffee and finding new podcasts. You can reach me at [email protected]. More by Grace McCormick