Mildred Z. Young

Mildred Z. Young, lifelong resident of Rhinebeck, died Tuesday, July 19, 2022 at the Thompson House in Rhinebeck, NY.  She was 96.

She was born on Nov. 7, 1925 at her parents’ home in Rhinecliff, NY, the daughter of the late Albert and Maude (Ehrmann) Zegelbrier.  She graduated from high school as salutatorian at the age of 15- and couldn’t find a job because she was simply too young and too shy. She went to secretarial school, and at the age of 20, she was hired as a legal secretary by Benson R. Frost Sr. She worked for Mr. Frost for 12 years. She then got her license to sell insurance, and took over the insurance office upstairs.  She successfully operated the Mildred Z. Young Insurance Agency for 35 years.

At the age of 30, she married the late John J. Young. Together, they bought the Morton Schoolhouse on Mill Rd in Rhinebeck, and completely renovated it themselves.  They continued buying old houses in Rhinebeck and renovating them, turning them into apartments. John passed away in 2006 - they were married for 52 years.

Mildred was very active in serving her community.  She started her involvement at Northern Dutchess Hospital as the “unofficial” secretary of the Board in her twenties, and worked her way up until she became board President from 1979-1980.  While on the Board, she served as Chairman of the 1977 campaign to raise $500,000 for the Hospital’s first ICU/CCU wing, and as Vice Chairman of the 1983 Neugarten Birth Center Building campaign.  She was Chairman of the Board’s Social & Public Relations Committee, and was President of the corporation which operated the Hospital’s medical office building in Hyde Park.  In recognition of her exemplary community service, the Rhinebeck Rotary Club named Mildred the Outstanding Volunteer of 1988, for her chairmanship of the Rhinebeck Tercentenary Committee during the 1986-1988 celebration. She was also a member of the NDH Auxiliary and was the Auxiliary’s President for 5 years, contributing greatly to the success of the Hospital Thrift Shop.

Mildred also had a very active lifetime role with Morton Memorial Library in Rhinecliff.  Her mother was the librarian and her father supervised the recreation department downstairs, so she spent much of her childhood there.  She became a Trustee in 1957, and spent many years as Secretary/Treasurer, as well as a two-year stint as President.

In addition to community service, her other primary interest was music. Mildred played the organ and was the organist at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Rhinecliff for 10 years, during her late teens to twenties. She was a talented pianist, and she served as the pianist for the Rhinebeck Rotary Club, accompanist for the Rhinebeck Men’s Chorus (where she met her husband John,) and assistant accompanist for the Rhinebeck Choral Club.

She and her husband were also avid square dancers and loved to travel.

Mildred is survived by a daughter, Catherine Young, & her partner D. Suris, a son, Gregory Young, and two grandchildren: Sierra Young Suris and Casey Young.

There are no calling hours.

A Memorial Celebration will be held at the Morton Memorial Library, 82 Kelly Street, Rhinecliff, NY on Sunday July 24 at 1 pm.  Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family at Wurtemburg Cemetery.

Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Northern Dutchess Hospital, 6511 Springbrook Ave, Rhinebeck NY 12572, Northern Dutchess Residential Health Care Facility, 6525 Springbrook Ave, Rhinebeck, NY 12572, or Morton Memorial Library, 82 Kelly St, Rhinecliff, NY 12574.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Dapson-Chestney Funeral Home, Rhinebeck, NY.

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