Philip Renwick Young

Philip Renwick Young

    Phil, age 76, passed peacefully in his sleep at home in the early morning on Palm Sunday, March 24, 2024, of pancreatic cancer. He was born on October 2, 1947, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Growing up in the Berkshires, Phil shared an idyllic, Norman Rockwell childhood with his older brother, Rob, now living in Tucson, and the neighborhood gang. They attended early elementary in the red one-room schoolhouse next door to his family’s little home, tapped the trees for maple syrup, engaged in apple and snowball fights, played ice hockey on the nearby pond, skied at the ski area carrying skis on their bikes up the street, and learned tennis and golf at the Country Club.
    Graduating from Phillip’s Andover Academy, MA, in 1965, Phil went to the University of Arizona, Tucson, where he met Cindy, his sweetheart and wife of 53 years. A Dean’s list student and Phi Beta Kappa, he majored in Political Science in 1969. He then attended The Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management in Phoenix and began his career with Chase Manhattan Bank, New York. He and Cindy married on September 5, 1970, in Ardmore, Oklahoma, her hometown. He was a great dad to Wendell and Jeffrey who both tragically have passed on at the ages of 29 and 32, and a grandfather who cherished his grandchildren Amelie, 21, and Keenan, 14, of Bellingham, Washington.
    Known for his intellect, wit, and progressive political views, Phil had a successful career in International Corporate Banking, spanning various locations across the globe. His role as President and General Manager of The Chase Manhattan Bank in the Dominican Republic was the highlight of his career in that delightful country of beautiful, loving Dominicans and fellow expat friends and colleagues. Phil later became an independent Financial Advisor when the family moved to Santa Rosa in 1992 with their beloved Golden Retriever and bunny. Their younger son, Jeffrey, was Deaf and the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing program at Hidden Valley School was the catalyst to move. Upon retirement, Phil continued to closely monitor the stock market and his investments. Watching his stock portfolio close at an all-time high on the Friday before he passed made him a satisfied and happy man.
    A nature enthusiast and wine aficionado, Phil enjoyed exploring the Pacific coast, from Alaska down to Costa Rica, and the Sierras, skiing, picnicking, hiking, camping, kayaking, and yes, skinny dipping, always with fine Sonoma County wines in tow. He appreciated romantic beach sunsets and the jungle wildlife in Costa Rica, where he and Cindy frequently traveled.
    In the past decade, Phil switched from playing competitive tennis to becoming an enthusiastic Pickleball player. Phil loved photography, music, biographies/history, and sports, loyal to Bay Area teams, especially the Oakland A’s. He and Cindy were extras in the movie, Moneyball, filmed in the Oakland Coliseum. He relished writing and telling the story of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, recounting the harrowing experience and survival of his late father, Robert G. Young, gunnery officer on the aircraft carrier USS Gambier Bay, sunk by the Japanese armada in the Philippines. He also supported the legacy of his beloved grandfather, Walter E. Baum, renowned landscape artist of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and his mother, the late Ruth L. Baum Young.
    Phil was a respected member of his community in the places where he lived and worked, and treated his family to many fun travels and adventures. He leaves behind wonderful, loving friends and relatives around the world. At his request, there will be no service. He would be thrilled knowing you contributed in his memory to The Baum School of Art, Allentown, PA, founded by his grandfather (shannon@baumschool.org). Or, Cindy would be pleased with a contribution to the American Cancer Society for advancement in pancreatic cancer research/treatment. Or, just raise a glass of Pinot to Phil.

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