Claude Alan 'Chip' Young, 54

Claude Alan "Chip" Young, 54, passed away on Friday, Aug. 6, 2004, at his home in Trestle Creek, Idaho.

Private services have been held for family and friends. Interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery.

Chip was born on April 18, 1950, in Kennewick, Wash., to Claude A. "Chip" and Joyce Young. He attended schools in California until 1962, when the family moved to Germany. He graduated from the American High School in Kaiserslautern, Germany, in 1968.

Chip was a student at Seattle University when the Vietnam War started, and as a result he entered the United States Army. After basic training he was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. He was later stationed at the recreation area at Garmish, Germany, where he served on the ski patrol and as a ski instructor.

Following his military service he went to work for the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the U.S. government in California and Hawaii. He lived in Three Forks, Mont., for a couple of years before moving to Sandpoint in 1993 to be closer to his parents. He was employed at Schweitzer Mountain Resort at the time of his death.

He enjoyed ski instructing, leather work, stain glass and riding motorcycles. He will be missed by his friends and family, but we will remember him with many wonderful memories. He loved to make everyone laugh, so think of him every time you make someone laugh.

He is survived by his parents, Chip and Joyce Young of Sandpoint; a son, Joel Young of Portland, Ore.; two granddaughters, Madison, 7, and Morgan, 5, of Portland; a niece of Tammy Young of Rapid City, S.D.; two nephews, Chad Young of Spokane, Wash., and Shane Young of Gainesville, Ga.; a great-niece, Marisa Young of Spokane; and his special "Schweitzer Brothers."

He was preceded in death by his younger brother Craig, who died in August 2001 after a long battle with cancer, and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery

Memorial donations may be sent to the Wishing Star Foundation, 665 Mountainview Road East, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements for cremation. Please visit Chip's memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his online guest book.