William Birtle (Billy)
Younger, 83, ended his last
valiant battle on Friday, April
- Billy was born Feb. 1,
1937 to the late Elvis and Lula
Traywick Younger.
Mr. Younger was devoted to
serving his church, community
and his close-knit family. For
almost 50 years, he operated
Younger’s Grocery & Market,
which his parents opened at
the end of World War II. Billy
joined his mother in running
the store when his father died
in 1957. The grocery store
evolved over the years offering
everything from feed and
hardware to fresh butchered
meats and prepared foods,
which Billy sometimes
delivered to remote or
housebound customers in his
jeep.
While the business, which
served as the hub of the
community, required long
hours, Billy spent just as many
hours on his other interests and
pursuits. He was a plumber,
builder, heavy equipment
operator and first class
“piddler” as he called his time
in his beloved workshop.
Mr. Younger was a Deacon of
McLemoresville Baptist
Church, where he was also a
Sunday School teacher for 54
years. Over the years, he was
elected to serve on the
McLemoresville School
Board, the Carroll County
School Board and the West
Carroll School District Board.
In 1963, he was a member of
the founding brigade of the
McLemoresville Volunteer
Fire Department. He served as
Fire Chief from 1988-2012 as
the department added new fire
trucks (one of which he helped
design) and a new fire station.
Mr. Younger was instrumental
in developing a public water
system for the community.
When the national E911
system was implemented in
Carroll County he was
appointed to the first board and
helped establish the system.
He was one of the original
First Responders in the county.
In 2011, he was recognized as
Carroll Countian of the year.
He was a tireless fundraiser for
the causes he loved, selling
thousands of hamburgers from
the Burger Wagon and acting
as amateur auctioneer for PTA
sales.
Billy married his high school
sweetheart, Barbara Burke in
- She was at his side in
all his endeavors and his
tireless companion until the
end. They had four daughters:
Sharon Younger, Kayla
Taylor, Lana (Lex) Suite and
Laura (John) Guidi; seven
grandchildren, Kassie
(Anthony) Coffee, Kara
Taylor, Danielle Suite, Carson
(Kara) Suite, Ally Suite, Cole
(Hannah) Lessenberry and
Logan Lessenberry; and three
great grandchildren:
McKinely, Jackson and Kylie.
The family loved that Billy
could make anything, rig
anything or fix anything,
which included everything
from go-carts to broken hearts.
He was a man of quiet faith
and few words, unless he was
telling a long story to the folks
gathered around as he worked
at his butcher block or in his
workshop.
Mr. Younger died after a
seven-year battle with
Alzheimer’s, during which, he
survived a rare case of tetanus
(lock jaw) contracted while
helping make repairs to the
Carroll County Museum. The
family would like to thank his
caregivers in the Memory Unit
at Forest Cove Senior Living
Community and his hospice
nurse, Melissa Kirk, who was
an angel of mercy connecting
the family during the corona
virus pandemic.
A graveside service was held
Monday, April 20, at 2 p.m.
Memorials can be sent to the
McLemoresville Fire
Department (PO Box 38),
McLemoresville Baptist
Church (Box 208) or the
McLemoresville Cemetery
Association (Box 44).
