Descendants of H.A and R. Young: Family Chart #1.
Last Updated January 2005.

Biographical Details:

Edmund Gillow Young (1913-1988)
Born, 19 January 1913, Queenstown, NZ
Married, Prudence Edna Todd, 9 August 1941
Died, 1988, Christchurch, NZ

The picture to the right is of Edmund G. Young (left) & brother R. A. Young (right)

Source, NZ Medical Journal, 25 May 1988 pages 278-279
Reproduced with permission and provided only as a guide to personal study.
Obituaries: Edmund Gillow Young
Dr Edmund (Ted) Young died in Christchurch on 14 February 1988 after a long illness, at the age of 75.
Edmund Gillow Young was born on 29 January 1913 in Queenstown where his father was a magistrate. The family had several moves during Ted's childhood, finally to Christchurch where he completed his secondary education at Christchurch Boys High School. He represented the school at athletics, rugby, tennis and debating.
During his university years his running and hurdling talents won him Canterbury provincial representation and Otago University Blues. He was secretary of the Selwyn College Association in 1935 and graduated from the Otago University Medical School on 1937.
He joined the staff of the Christchurch Hospital as a house surgeon and was appointed assistant medical superintendent in 1940. In these critical war years, with its shortage of medical manpower, the position of assistant medical superintendent carried considerable responsibilities. Not only was Ted involved in the usual administrative duties of his position but he carried out a great number of routine and acute surgical procedures without fuss and with remarkable efficiency. He had no specialist surgical training and yet he had the ability to make complicated operations appear simple. His surgical skill compared most favourably with some of his more highly qualified colleagues. A little of his pioneering streak, not to mention indifference to the established order was revealed when he decimated the gynaecological waiting list by performing internal examinations on an outpatient basis.
In 1941 he married Pure Todd who was a physiotherapist at the Service Convalescent Hospital, Rotorua. Within a month of their marriage he sailed with the 7th Reinforcements for Egypt, where he served in both field ambulances in Egypt and Tunisia and as a regimental medical officer in Italy.
The colleagues and friends he served with while in the army and his experience of war were a lasting influence on him. Although he gained much surgical experience as an army surgeon, when the war ended he felt unable to take the time to continue his surgical training. Instead he returned to Christchurch and began a career there as a solo practitioner until his retirement in 1981.
Ted was an efficient and dedicated doctor with a natural ability to sort out the essentials of a problem and to deal with them effectively and yet with apparent ease.
Because he suffered from severe asthma himself he showed empathy for and skill in treating asthmatics, many being referred to him. He was also especially interested in the diseases of children.
Throughout his life, he was a keen follower of many sporting activities. For twenty five years he was medical officer to the Canterbury Swimming Association and for twenty years honorary surgeon to the Canterbury Jockey Club as well as being a knowledgeable and enthusiastic supporter of racing. He was an able and keen tennis player and a connoisseur of fine wine and good food. He became president of the Christchurch Food and Wine Society.
Ted's interest in gardening and his knowledge of plants was well known and he loved to clamber round the native shrubs at his holiday retreat in Queen Charlotte Sound. He enjoyed fishing and tinkering about with boats and motors, he could build, lay concrete, plumb and paint, was a great believer in do-it-yourself. Any problem was an opportunity awaiting solution, whether it was with the help of some discarded surgical instrument or a splint of wire and Araldite. Ted loved a party and was a great a great conversationalist. He had the knack of getting on with people and enjoying himself in the process. He and Prue were generous and jovial hosts, who always appeared to enjoy their own parties without effort.
But above all, he was a family man. He offered his children a prescription of expectation, encouragement and support and was always justifiably proud of their progress.
He is sadly missed by his wife, Prue and by his family Hamish, Belinda and Tony, a Christchurch radiologist, as well as by his many friends and colleagues.
We are indebted to Dr J D Lough, Christchurch for this obituary.

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Biographical Details:

Mary Elizabeth Young

Born, 29 May 1916.
Died, 1922

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