Denise L. Young

June 25, 1957 - May 16, 1996

"I will do my best: to be honest, to be fair, to help where I am needed, to be cheerful, to be friendly and considerate, to be a sister to every Girl Scout, to respect authority, to use resources wisely, to protect and improve the world around me, to show respect for myself and others through my words and actions"

The previous passage is known as the Girl Scout Law. My mom was not just a great mom and a great friend to many; she was a Girl Scout in all respects and I believe she lived everyday of her life by those directives. Mom would always try to help everyone. She was a leader in both the Brownie Scouts and the Girl Scouts for many years as well as having been a Scout herself.

She was willing to help both my sister and I with our homework and projects especially those we left for the last minute which she ended up doing many of herself. She accomplished a lot in her 38 years of life. She was always taking on new challenges; whether it be a new recipe, a new place to road trip with her good friends, a new outfit to sew for either myself or my sister, or a new home decorating project for the old and new house. Of course my dad would always get roped into helping out with many of those.

She took on the challenge of facing her disease and getting the cure with open arms even though she knew the possible consequences. She wanted a chance to live longer more than she was afraid of death. I'll admit, she was scared. We all were. But my mom wasn't so afraid of anything that she wouldn't give it a try; except maybe roller coasters, bungee cord jumping, and sending me away to school. Seriously though, my mom was one of my closest and best friends.

We had a mother-daughter relationship that had become close to perfect over the years. She was quite a woman. She will be missed by many people; family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. But as my good friend and sister Girl Scout, Kelly Brown, told me "We've just earned yet another merit badge in life." And so has my mom.

May we all use my mom's example to earn as many badges as is absolutely possible while here on Earth. And may my mom rest her soul watching the rest of us earn more badges until we too earn that which is today bestowed upon her.

Mom, I love you and I miss you and I thank you for everything that you have taught me. I hope that I, too, someday earn as many badges as you have.

Delivered at the funeral of Denise L. Young.

5/23/96