Motorcycle rides “couldn’t be far enough or fast enough,” for Charlene Young, said longtime friend Patrick McCombs.
Young, who died Aug. 10, two days before her 68th birthday, was one of the founders of the Colorado Freewheelers Club, of which McCombs is president.
Despite numerous health problems as a result of diabetes, nothing stopped Young – she rode behind her husband all over the U.S., Canada and Mexico, parasailed in Mexico, went canoeing in Nebraska and did white-water rafting in Montana.
“Nothing beat her down,” said McCombs, of Littleton.
Young, a great-grandmother who lived in Lakewood, died during a dialysis treatment in Lakewood.
Although she had undergone several surgeries, lost several toes because of poor circulation, had a pacemaker and sometimes used a cane or wheelchair, Young always looked ahead, said daughter Juli Lentz of Baltimore. Young was planning to visit Lentz in the next few weeks and was revving up for her 50th wedding anniversary party next year with her husband, Rex Young.
“She never dwelled on the past, but always looked to the future,” Lentz said. “And if one of us complained about something that happened, she’d say, ‘You’re dwelling.”‘
“She refused to have anything but a good outlook,” said daughter Toni Grant of Fort Lupton.
Young once had to be resuscitated five times when she was in the hospital with an infection, Grant said. At one point, Young said to the family, “You’re not going to let me go.”
Young was known for her parties, her cakes and pastries at Freewheelers’ bake sales and the unique costume party ideas she came up with. One idea was a toga party. Partygoers are still laughing about wearing flimsy togas and sandals “in the middle of a blizzard when it was 16 below zero,” McCombs said.
Young was in constant touch with her family and expected children and grandchildren to have good grades and good manners. “She was happy to correct your kids if you as a mother couldn’t,” Lentz said, laughing.
Charlene Mae Wolcott was born Aug. 12, 1937, in Ainsworth, Neb., and went to high school in Bassett, Neb., where she met her future husband. They were married Dec. 30, 1956, and moved to Denver after he finished his military service.
For 40 years, she worked for county and state courts in Jefferson County, as a county court clerk and later as division clerk for former Chief Judge Gaspar Perricone of Jefferson Country District Court. She retired two years ago.
In addition to her husband and daughters, she is survived by a son, Richard Young of Denver; her sister, Elaine Gilg, of Newport, Neb.; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Staff writer Virginia Culver can be reached at 303-820-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com.
