James "Roger" Young

James 'Roger' Young was born on November 14, 1944 at Watertown, SD to Jim and Esther (Nichols) Young.  He attended school and graduated from Garden City High School in 1962 and after graduation joined the United States Navy.  He was in the Navy for two years and spent most of his time on ships that monitored our country's activities (usually Russian submarines).  Before he was discharged, he received a top security clearance and could have worked for the CIA, but decided that wasn't best for him.

While Roger was a senior in High School, he met the love of his life, Linda Bruflat.  Linda was a cheerleader at Wallace High School and Roger was a star basketball player at Garden City High School.  They were married in Clark, SD on July 10, 1965.  After Roger was discharged from the Navy, the couple moved to Nebraska where he went to work for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company.  His career started with him climbing telephone poles and installing residential service.  Roger was promoted to teaching at the telephone training center in Des Moines, IA and from there was promoted to management with the responsibility of business phone service for all of western Iowa.  The couple moved from Des Moines to Sioux City, IA and lived there over twenty years.  He took an early retirement from the phone company and started his own business of installing siding and windows.  In 2002 Roger and Linda decided to come back to South Dakota and built a home on an acreage west of Watertown.

Roger loved being outdoors and enjoyed his gardens every summer.  He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed hunting deer and pheasants.  His love of basketball was evident and when the Denny Sanford Sports complex opened in Sioux Falls, Roger single handedly got basketball memorabilia from Garden City High School to display in the Complex atrium.  Roger loved to play pinochle with his friends and shoot pool.

Roger died peacefully on Thursday afternoon, December 15, 2016 in Sioux Falls, SD at the age of 72.

Preceding him in death were his parents.

Roger will be sadly missed by his wife of 5 1 years, Linda; a daughter, Trish (Ken) Poskevich, Dallas, TX, a son, Brett (Michele) Young and their daughter, Avery of Sioux City, IA.  Also surviving is a sister, Sharon (Dennis) Barkley of North Platte, NE and a brother, Curt (Doris) Young of Omaha, NE.