John Griffith Young, a loving husband, father, community leader and philanthropist, previously from Portland, IN, passed away in Zionsville on February 25, 2022. His parents were Mary Elizabeth (Easterday) and Roy Dwight Young of Portland. He was born on June 3, 1933 in Portland.

He is survived by daughters Rebec ca Hilinda (P hil) Walsh, Mechanicsburg, PA; Melissa (Kevin) Schmidt, Zionsville, IN; Jennifer (Dave) Liles, Milford, OH; and son John David (Amy McClung) Young, Signal Mountain, TN. He is also survived by 14 grandchildren a nd 8 g reat-grandchildren, as well as a sister, Rebecca (Lowell) Stroh l, Naples, FL and brother, Thomas Hendrix (Joyce Hummel) Young, Biltmore Forest, NC. He is predeceased by his wife Gretchen Louise (Schultze) Young and brother Philip Dwight Young.

John attended Portland High School where he was the class '52 President and an active member in FFA. Following graduation John attended Earlham College in Richmond, IN where he met the love of his life, Gretchen Louise Schultze Young. John graduated from Earlham in 1955 with a B.A. in Psy chology and co ntinued his education at the Princeton Woodrow Wilson School of Business. Following Gretchen's graduation from Earlham the couple was married on June 22, 1957 in Dayton, OH and remained so for 62 years until she passed away in 2020. They first lived in San Antonio, TX where John was stationed with the U.S. Army .

After completing John's military service, they returned to Jay Coun ty where John followed in his father's and grandfather's footsteps and began employment at the Jay Garment Company in Portland. During his tenure at the Jay Garment, John was President and CEO for many years and also active on the board of the American Apparel Manufacturers Association (AAMA).

Serving the Portland and Jay County community was important to John. He was instrumental in the consolidation of five high schools into what is now known as Jay County High School. John was an active member of First Presbyterian Church of Portland, where he and Gretchen both served in many leadership roles and enjoyed singing in the choir. He served on numerous boards including MainSource Bank (formerly The Peoples Bank), Jay County Hospital, Conner Prairie and Earlham College and was a member of Rotary International. John believed in giving back to the community and was very involved in The Portland Foundation, the Portland Pool and Arts Place.

John loved the outdoors and was an avid gardener. He was instrumental in establishing a community garden as well as contributing to the local Farmers Market. In addition, he enjoyed raising beef cattle and maintained a herd for many years while encouraging his children's involvement in 4-H.

There will be no calling at this time and a service to celebrate his life will be held at a later date. Memorials can be made to The Portland Foundation or Arts Place .