Margaret Sue Young passed away on June 6, 2014 at home. Sue was born in Luling, Texas, the watermelon capital of the world, on June 22, 1930 to Roland and Susie Box. An only child, she loved fishing with her dad, a cattle rancher and school superintendent, dancing and riding horses. Speech lessons were another favorite activity.
Sue graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Liberal Arts degree with a minor in drama, and went on to receive a M.A. in Religious Studies from Duke Divinity School where she was one of only five women in her graduating class. Her first job was at Trinity Methodist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, where she was the Director of Religious Education.
In 1953 Sue married Le Young in Luling. Their first daughter, Martha Sue, was born a few years later in Corpus Christi and daughter Kay followed. Sue and Lee attended Scarritt College for Christian Workers in Nashville where they received missionary training before their move to Lahore, Pakistan in 1960, where they lived in for five years. Sue taught hygiene while Le built the United Christian Hospital.
After their return to the U.S., Sue worked in Dallas as a Special Education schoolteacher. And it was in Dallas in 1967 that she began her career with Mary Kay Cosmetics in the early days of the company, becoming a personal friend and protégé of company founder Mary Kay Ash. After the family moved to Michigan, she became the first Mary Kay Sales Director in Michigan. She was one of the first two women invited to join the Lansing Business Men's City Club, and would earn Mary Kay Cosmetics' famed pink Cadillac more than seventeen times.
After the 1977 murder of her older daughter, Sue was on the forming team of C-CAP (the Committee for Community Awareness and Protection), a collaboration of criminal-justice professionals, victims, victims' advocates and concerned citizens. She was named the Michigan Victims Advocate of the Year Award for her tireless efforts, including promotion of Senate Serial Killer Bill 649.
In 2005 Sue published Lethal Friendship, the story of her daughter's death and Sue's criminal justice advocacy work that followed. This book was followed in 2009 by her second, The Heart of a Leader, a chronicle of her friendship with Mary Kay Ash and valuable manual on prevailing with strength and grace in the face of extreme challenges.
Sue relocated to San Diego in 2007 and in 2011 started a Bible study she called the AHA Moments of Life. She was a beloved member of La Jolla Community Church.
She was preceded in death by her daughter Martha Sue and her former husband Le.
As Sue practiced her mission to encourage others that there is no challenge to great or dream too big to achieve with the help of God and belief in our talents, a Memorial Service celebrating her life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on June 14, 2014 at La Jolla Community Church at 4377 Eastgate Mall, San Diego, CA 92121. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Samaritan's Purse at www.samaritanspurse.org P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
November 10, 2014
Sammy Smith
Kay, I met you and your amazing mother in the Bahamas over Thanksgiving Weekend, 1979, at the Norman Vincent Peale reunion. For some reason, she came to mind today, and I did a search for her online, discovering her book and also this site with notice of her passing. Please accept my deepest sympathy. Many blessings to you, Kay.
June 22, 2014
Our hearts go out to you with the passing of your mother.
- Nancy Henroid
June 13, 2014
Doris Gessner
Kay, Thank you for being who you are Kay and for sharing your mom, Sue, with me all these years. It has been a privilege to feel like a part of your family. Sue was always a positive influence in my life and a special witness of her faith. I pray that God will bless you with peace and joy at this very difficult time in your life. I know that she be standing at the Golden Gate and waiting to greet you when God calls you home to her and your sister Martha. Know that I am always there for you, let's stay connected and close.
June 13, 2014
Nicoli Viktoria
Kay, My prayers are with you ...
June 12, 2014
Jenny Strickland
Kay,
Thanks for sharing your mom with our family. Christmas was always special with both of you joining us. She was a delight to listen to and a real encouragement. I enjoyed reading her written word as well; she let her heart for the Lord show in her creativity.
I'm glad she is in our Lord and Savior's presence now and rejoice that we can join her one day in what will seem like a blink of the eye in light of eternity.
She will be missed.
June 12, 2014
David Uhle
Such a positive influence in my life. She was an encouragement in all situations. A true example of a grace filled life. A person I am so glad to have had the privilege of meeting.
June 12, 2014
Marie Currie
Kay, My prayers are with you.
June 11, 2014
Rene Mahoney
Kay, Sending Big Warm Pink Hugs & Fuzzies with lots of love across the miles with what I hope are some words that may give you some comfort through your grief over the loss of your Mom & Best Friend. (*_*)
Sue forever changed my life when I met her & immersed my self in her Mary Kay Pink Bubble with Mary Kay Cosmetics 31+ yrs ago.
She was my friend, mentor, confidante & became another "Mom" to me over the years. I am saddened by her passing but I am @ peace knowing she is with our God, the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. I just know she & Mary Kay Ash are sharing memories & that she's helping her paint Heaven Mary Kay Pink!
Her Passion for making a difference in other peoples lives will live on in the hearts & memories of all who knew & loved her. Her Legacy as a Mom, Daughter, Friend, Leader of Women & Advocate for Victims Rights show her time here on this earth was a rich blessing in all the lives she touched.
Kay, My wish for you as you say goodbye for the moment, is that you will hold her memories close in the days & hours to come. Please take comfort knowing she is with God, @ peace now & that SHE made a Difference.
I wrote Sue a letter last Fall that really says so much about how much I loved her & the difference she made in my life thru the years, both personally & professionally. I wanted to share it with you because I can't say how I feel about your Mom any better than I did then.
......Sue, I love you so much. You have always been my guiding light, both in Mary Kay & in my personal life. You are much more than my Senior Director & Mentor.....You have always been My other "Mom". Your guidance over the years has helped me through some very difficult moments in my marriage (and continues too I might add, remind me to share a conversation I had with John recently about communication! LOL! Afterwards, I thought, Sue would have liked that!) & countless other ways.
Your Spiritual Guidance is my gift from God daily & I thank him constantly for giving me such a Wise & Insightful Guardian Angel whose chuckle I can hear in my mind's eye just when I need it most. I can hear you sharing with me as if it were today..."It's not where you start, it's where you finish"... that has stuck with me since I was a new consultant... I have shared that phrase & many more "Sue-isms" with new recruits religiously too many times to count.
You have been my Guardian Angel who whispers in my minds' ear when I need a bit of inspiration with some balance...LOL! . you have always been able to bring me back to center & inspired me to be my best...you are my forever friend, Dearest Sue.
I have missed your presence & your warm hugs sooo very much since you have moved to San Diego, Sue. Your love & support from the day I began my journey along the Pink Path & you entered my life have been a blessing I have cherished, then & now. Your words of wisdom & insights over the years have helped me through some very difficult times & I share them constantly with others.
Enough for today. Thanks for accepting me as I am, Dear Friend. It means the world to me. Much Love & Affection...
Take care Dearest Kay, My Love & prayers are with you...(*_*)
June 11, 2014
Gail Weston MacLaughlin
Dear Kay, I am immeasurably saddened by the loss of my friend and mentor. Your Mother poured so much of her wisdom, faith, so much of herself into each of us. She was our light showing us the way. I will treasure the time with her forever.
June 11, 2014
Laura
My thoughts and prayers are with Sue's family and friends. She was a wonderful contribution to this world. She was a kind and gentle person who possessed a quiet, but tenacious demeanor. I always admired her commitment to empower women with the tools to improve their lives. She will be missed.
June 10, 2014
Christine Gail Weston Scott
June 10, 2014
Jim Box
Kay: I have many pleasant memories of Sue, Aunt Susie and Uncle Roland. After moving to Nixon in 1947 I came into frequent contact with them. It was Uncle Roland who helped my father secure the job as Superintendent of the Nixon School. I went fishing many times on Uncle Rolands farm and the associated Guadeloupe River. I remember when Sue left Luling in a beautiful new hard top convertible Bel Air Chevrolet for Duke University. Kay you have a wonderful heritage nestled deeply in the love, philosophy and mercy of Jesus Christ. Our love and prayers are with you. We know that Sue is comfortably with the Lord in all of his Glory. God Bless
June 10, 2014
Kathy Herman
As I am saddened by the loss of Sue, I know our God has held a special place for her in His Heavenly Home. She is now a beautiful Guardian Angel to her family and friends and will be remembered by all who knew her. May God bless her passing.
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