Marshall William Young “Mart”, 81, of Richland, WA, passed away on January 28, 2019. He was born in Eureka, CA, on April 15, 1937 to Ralph and Violet Young.

During his early years Mart worked with his father, mother, and sister on the family’s dairy farm in Arcata California. While attending a one-room school of only a couple dozen students, Mart decided, at the age of 14, that a life of farming really didn’t suit him. In a defining moment, he decided that he would become an engineer. This calculus set his life’s course.    

Graduating High School a year early, Mart enrolled in the mechanical engineering program at nearby Humboldt State University where he played football for two years. In order to help pay for his education and true to his Scandinavian heritage, Mart worked in the Redwood lumber industry where, often working alongside his father, he learned to adapt to and master a variety of logging trades. These included working the green-chain, setting chokers, running a skid loader, driving log trucks, and off loading the head mill. He transferred to the Berkley campus of the University of California where he continued to support himself and fund his education with work as the night manager at a hotel and other odd jobs.

During this time, Mart’s second life defining moment occurred when he met, briefly dated, and married the love of his life Delilah, whose name he immediately shortened to Dee, the name she proudly uses to this day. Mart took a night job working at Aerojet General Corporation and then transferred to the Davis campus of the University of California where, as part of his education, he found employment building the first mechanical engineering labs on the Davis campus. While there, he achieved the degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Between 1957 and 1972, Mart’s work at Aerojet revolved around the design, development, and procurement of the cryogenic liquid fuel pumps for the Titan Missile program. From there he moved on to do work on the million-pound thrust M-1 rocket engine, and he finished his Aerojet career working on the nuclear powered NERVA rocket engine, often spending time at the colorfully named test site at Jack Ass Flats, Nevada.  As these programs wound down, Mart read the writing on the wall and upped stakes. On his birthday in 1972 he moved his young family, which now included sons Mike and Tim, to Richland, Washington to work for the Westinghouse Hanford Company as a “cog” engineer on the liquid Sodium coolant pumps of the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF). In this role he participated in design and testing of breeder reactor technologies on the Department of Energy’s Hanford site.  As the FFTF project evolved, he moved into management. He and his team of “professional troubleshooters” were involved in projects in the nuclear facilities all across the Hanford site until his retirement in 1995.  

In “retirement” Mart spent 14 years volunteering at the Columbia River Exhibition of History Science and Technology (The CREHST Museum). Mart’s work at the museum, like his other “careers” was diverse. He most enjoyed his time as a docent, but also worked at many other “behind the scenes” tasks.

A lifelong 49rs fan, Mart also enjoyed fishing, hunting, water and snow skiing. Many neighbors and friends remember Mart’s passion for rebuilding and “hot rodding” cars and boats and for helping friends with all things mechanical. He was active in the Desert Ski Club of Richland, organizing ski trips, singing and playing guitar and he served one term as club president.

Mart’s proudest role was that of Husband and Father. His legacy lives on in his beloved sons and their families. Mart approached every day with the analytical mind of an engineer, the hands of a skilled craftsman, the enthusiasm of a born teacher, and the heart and caring soul of a dedicated husband, father, trusted advisor, neighbor and true friend.

His wife Dee, sons Mike and Tim, daughters-in-law Wendy and Cindy, his grandchildren Zachary and Sage, his sister Sandra Kilmer and her family, and his sister-in-law Nancy, brother-in-law Ron, and their family survive him. He is preceded in death by his father Ralph Best “RB” Young, his mother Violet Linnea Young, and brother-in-law Terry Kilmer.

A Celebration of Mart's life will be held on March 30, 2019 from 2 until 6 PM at the Anthology Event Center at 706 Williams Boulevard, in Richland, Washington

The family encourages you to consider donating to the American Heart Association, or COPD Fountain or other charity of your choosing in lieu of sending flowers.