Last year, Windsor Public Library received $250,000 from the estate of Norman Young who passed away February 13, 2013 and his wife Denise Young. On THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2016 at a 2 p.m. ceremony at Central Library (850 Ouellette Avenue), our new Library Living Room will be dedicated to the memories of Mr. and Mrs. Young, who both believed in lifelong learning and literacy and were strong advocates for Windsor Public Library.
In commenting on the gift, WPL CEO Kitty Pope said, “We are truly humbled by the generosity of Norman Young and his wife Denise. The WPL Board is appreciative of the bequest which has allowed us to create a number of innovative and exciting features for each branch of the Windsor Public Library. The bequest enriches the lives of all residents.
Mr. Young was a Border Guard with no formal education, but both he and his wife had a deep appreciation for learning and knowledge. They both lived through the Great Depression and developed an appreciation for saving which is now benefitting Windsor Public Library.
Born in 1920 in Walkerville, Norman Young never attended university but had an inquisitive mind. He had many hobbies, including coin collecting and stamp collecting. In 1948, he married Denise Isabel, who had recently emigrated from England. He was very interested in science, and started collecting sea shells. He enjoyed birding and fishing. Norman was an avid reader, and read about many subjects including geology, oceanography and astronomy. Together with Denise, they would go on vacations to Florida. There, Norman was able to spend time collecting sea shells and enjoying his outdoor hobbies.
Norman Young died in 2013 at the age of 93. He was an inspiration to everyone who knew him, and he wanted to share his legacy with other institution such as the Goodfellows of Windsor and the Downtown Mission, in addition to Windsor Public Library.
The bequest has funded the Automotive Archives, the new Technology Hub and the WIFI Bar at Central Library – in addition to the Living Room. It also allowed us to create a dedicated and self-contained Local History Area, which will open in April.
