Lois Young Obituary

12/19/1954 to 1/14/2024

KINGSPORT - Lois Ann Sams Young, beloved wife of Ralph Hendricks Young, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, January 14, 2024, while at American House Memory Care in Kingsport - surrounded by loved ones. Lois was born on December 19, 1954, in Kingsport to the late Mack William (Bill) Sams and Rita Imogene Skeen Sams. She was a 1972 graduate of Dobyns-Bennett High School and a 1977 graduate of ETSU with a degree in Education. While attending ETSU she was active in the Baptist Student Union and gained many lifelong friends.

Lois was a devoted teacher, wife, mother and sister who delighted in raising her children, cooking for family and friends, and spent her life in the service of others. After graduating from ETSU, she spent two years on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines as a Southern Baptist Journeyman, teaching the children of missionaries Thurman and Kathleen Braughton. After returning to the US, she taught special education students at Castlewood High School and Shoemaker Middle School in Gate City. Lois began dating her husband Ralph in 1982 and they were married in September 1983. They were blessed to have enjoyed 40 years of marriage. She and Ralph have two sons - William Alexander (Alex) Young (Natalie Sosebee) of Charlotte, NC and Robert Howard Young (Julie Meier) of Elizabethton, TN. After raising her sons, Lois helped her sister Margaret take care of their mother and then later helped her sister-in-law Joan take care of Ralph's parents until they passed in 2018. At that time, it was Ralph's turn to take care of her.

Lois loved the Lord and her church family. She was raised at Glenwood Baptist Church and later attended Calvary Baptist where she sang in the choir and taught children's Sunday school. She delighted in raising her sons, gardening, as well as nature and flower photography. She loved to take pictures of sunrises and sunsets in the mountains and at the beach. She and Ralph enjoyed many hikes and drives in the mountains. She delighted in all aspects of the English language: reading, writing out Bible verses and studies, crossword puzzles, The Jumble and Sudoku, Scrabble and her favorite - Big Boggle. She greatly enjoyed family Boggle matches that were infamous for being fiercely competitive as well as fun and boisterous.

Lois was predeceased by her parents, brother Paul Edward Sams, sisters Betty Joyce Sams Vesser, and Velma Sams Kindle, brother-in-law Jeff Hickam as well as her beloved big brother Billy Paul Sams. She is survived by her husband Ralph, sons Alex and Robert and sisters - Sandra Sams Ervin (Kenny), and Margaret Sams Hickam and brother Mack Wayne Sams (Jenny Grable) and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of a funeral or flowers, her family requests charitable contributions in memory of Lois Young be made to Brain Support Network, PO Box 7264, Menlo Park, CA 94026, www.brainsupportnetwork.org

Trinity Memorial Centers Funeral Home (423-723-8177) is honored to serve the family.