Obituary for Samuel R. A. Youse
Samuel R. A. Youse, 95, of Lititz, passed away on Monday, January 31, 2022.
He was born in Lebanon on April 10th, 1926. He graduated from Lebanon High School, attended Lebanon Valley College, and graduated from Temple University. He served in the Army Air Corps in WWII. His training was in radio and radar which led to his interest in a career in broadcasting. He was assigned to a B29 bomber squadron as a technician and was on his way to the Pacific theater when the war with Japan ended. He was then stationed in Munich Germany in charge of an army surplus depot until his service ended. He worked as a broadcast engineer in radio and TV until opening WGSA in 1955 and later WIOV (I-105) in 1963, both in Ephrata. WIOV became the number one station in the market after switching to a country and western format in the late 60s. Along with Ethel, his wife, he managed and operated the stations until 1984 when he retired.
He was a member of the Ephrata Area Chamber of Commerce serving as president and director, a member of the Ephrata Lions Club, co-founder and director of the Ephrata Area Social Services, vice president and director of the Ephrata Fair Committee for over 30 years, and vice president and director of the Ephrata Recreation Center. He was also a member and director of the PA Association of Broadcasters and member of the National Association of Broadcasters. He was a life member of the Ephrata American Legion and the Ephrata VFW. He was also a member of the Ephrata Masonic Lodge and Rajah Shriners. He was a member of the Lebanon Country Club and Saddlebrook Men’s Golf Association, Florida. He had achieved four “holes-in-one”. He was a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Akron, having served on church council, Sunday school superintendent, and teacher. He was a member of Atonement Lutheran Church Wesley Chapel, Fl. His hobbies were golf, fishing, and flying.
He is survived by his wife, Ethel (Grimes) who he was married to for 72 years; his three children, Debra (Ken), Lancaster, PA, Samuel married to Mary Beth, Wilmington, DE, and Kathy Young married to Matt Young Avondale, PA; four grandchildren, Bryan married to Leah, Elkton, MD, Thomas married to Becky, Wilmington, DE, Cole, and Shane, both of Avondale, PA, and five great children: Evangeline, Alexander, August, Everett, and Graham.
He was preceded in death by his parents Paul and Caroline (Cox) Youse, and siblings, Madge, Paul, Anna, Glenn, Richard, and Carol.
The family would like to thank the staff of Luther Care, and the staff, doctors and nurses of UPMC for their dedicated care.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2022 from 2 to 5 PM at Luther Acres Community Room, 250 St. Luke Drive, Lititz.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ephrata Area Social Services, 227 N. State St. Ephrata, PA 17522, Shriners Children’s at shrinerschildrens.org/giving, or Tunnel to Towers Foundation at t2t.org.
Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata.
He was born in Lebanon on April 10th, 1926. He graduated from Lebanon High School, attended Lebanon Valley College, and graduated from Temple University. He served in the Army Air Corps in WWII. His training was in radio and radar which led to his interest in a career in broadcasting. He was assigned to a B29 bomber squadron as a technician and was on his way to the Pacific theater when the war with Japan ended. He was then stationed in Munich Germany in charge of an army surplus depot until his service ended. He worked as a broadcast engineer in radio and TV until opening WGSA in 1955 and later WIOV (I-105) in 1963, both in Ephrata. WIOV became the number one station in the market after switching to a country and western format in the late 60s. Along with Ethel, his wife, he managed and operated the stations until 1984 when he retired.
He was a member of the Ephrata Area Chamber of Commerce serving as president and director, a member of the Ephrata Lions Club, co-founder and director of the Ephrata Area Social Services, vice president and director of the Ephrata Fair Committee for over 30 years, and vice president and director of the Ephrata Recreation Center. He was also a member and director of the PA Association of Broadcasters and member of the National Association of Broadcasters. He was a life member of the Ephrata American Legion and the Ephrata VFW. He was also a member of the Ephrata Masonic Lodge and Rajah Shriners. He was a member of the Lebanon Country Club and Saddlebrook Men’s Golf Association, Florida. He had achieved four “holes-in-one”. He was a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Akron, having served on church council, Sunday school superintendent, and teacher. He was a member of Atonement Lutheran Church Wesley Chapel, Fl. His hobbies were golf, fishing, and flying.
He is survived by his wife, Ethel (Grimes) who he was married to for 72 years; his three children, Debra (Ken), Lancaster, PA, Samuel married to Mary Beth, Wilmington, DE, and Kathy Young married to Matt Young Avondale, PA; four grandchildren, Bryan married to Leah, Elkton, MD, Thomas married to Becky, Wilmington, DE, Cole, and Shane, both of Avondale, PA, and five great children: Evangeline, Alexander, August, Everett, and Graham.
He was preceded in death by his parents Paul and Caroline (Cox) Youse, and siblings, Madge, Paul, Anna, Glenn, Richard, and Carol.
The family would like to thank the staff of Luther Care, and the staff, doctors and nurses of UPMC for their dedicated care.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2022 from 2 to 5 PM at Luther Acres Community Room, 250 St. Luke Drive, Lititz.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ephrata Area Social Services, 227 N. State St. Ephrata, PA 17522, Shriners Children’s at shrinerschildrens.org/giving, or Tunnel to Towers Foundation at t2t.org.
Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata.