Obituary - Lyle Kenneth Young (Youck)

In Prince George B.C. on the morning of January 26^th, 2026 Lyle Young awoke with one major task in mind. His plan was to wrap the wedding gifts he chose for his Grandson Jared’s upcoming wedding in Phoenix. Lyle didn’t make it out of his bed, but his thoughts were on the loves of his life – family & baseball – loves which began on the J. George Youck farm, west of Strasbourg, SK, in 1934. Lyle was youngest of 13 children born to Maria Koch (1898-1945) and J. George Youck (1884-1974). He attended school at Edelaue  School #824 and developed a love of baseball which he practiced with his brother using a home-made ball and glove. 

When his mother died in 1945, his father moved the family to a farm East of Duval, which is still in the family today. In 1946, following the end of the war, his brother Bob returned home from service with the First Canadian Army in Europe, and Lyle and his older brother Ivan lived with Bob on the farm while attending school in Duval and then Strasbourg. Following graduation, Lyle studied surveying and drafting, skills which took him West to Vancouver with the highways department, and then to Prince George as an Engineer overseeing Railway Maintenance with CN. 

He married Loretta Daffner (1941-1997) in 1961 and had 4 sons, Sheldon, Randy, Kenny, and Jimmy, all of whom were gifted athletes playing a variety of sports. Lyle coached, fundraised, drove, and was a well-known presence at games and tournaments, making friends across the province, as a fan and positive cheerleader. Later, when his 2 grandsons chose to focus on baseball, Lyle provided incentives. He was reported to have said to the youngest, aged 5, at his first T-ball game, “25 cents if you hit the fence”. He did, and it was the beginning of a pro baseball career (Jared Young, N.Y. Mets and Team Canada) and heavy pockets for Lyle as he now had to carry quarters for both boys, who were strong hitters.

Lyle’s early years in Saskatchewan shaped his life. He was kind, generous, hardworking, honest, a loving and committed father, grandfather and uncle, a community builder, and he loved telling stories and making new friends. He enjoyed having a good time and was purported to have a “sports bar” living room where several televisions and monitors kept track of a variety of sports, especially Pro Baseball and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was known for his culinary skills, learned with his brothers on the farm, and true to his German roots, he loved a great polka. He was a gracious host and entertaining guest.

Lyle’s made many trips back to Saskatchewan, parking his 5^th wheel at the Duval farm or Rowans Ravine and catching up with family and old friends. He particularly enjoyed “painting the town red” at the Duval 100^th Anniversary.

Lyle was predeceased by his wife Loretta, his parents Maria and J. George Youck, and siblings Mary Kidby, Freida Miller, Walter Youche, Hilda Youck, Robert York, Pauline Waycott Ireland, Alice Geib, Irene Truman, Harold Youcke, Herbert Youck, Ivan Youche, and Sammy Youck. He is survived by his children, Sheldon, Randy (Jeni), Kenny, and Jimmy, as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will forever cherish his guidance and support. A Celebration of life was held at the Columbus Community Centre in Prince George on February 15, 2026. Donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Lyle’s memory are appreciated.

Lyle was known as “Lyle Legend” in Prince George. He lived up to his name.