Raymond Young

Raymond Colvin Young, of Sturgeon Bay, WI, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and uncle, passed away July 24, 2026, at the age of 87.

Ray is survived by his children, Kathy (Durwin Long) Young, Sue (Tom) Campbell, and Jeff (Tina) Young; grandchildren, Karl Fluegel, Larissa (Brendan) O’Donoghue, Jack (Alyssa) Campbell, Eric (Tori) Campbell, Anna Young, Emily Young, and Brian Young; great-grandchild, Ezra James Campbell; sister, Ruth Ann (Ron) Marcotte; and nephews, Ryan (Kelly) Marcotte and Randy (Jaime) Marcotte. Ray will join his beloved wife of 65 years, Jean Marie Stoffel, who passed away on February 1, 2026.

Raymond “Ray” was born January 28, 1939, in Chicago, Illinois, to Raymond W. Young and Helen M. Colvin Young.

Before he was born, his parents had already planned that he would be a pianist. They purchased a baby grand piano and had it delivered to their second-story apartment in Chicago. Ray’s cousins remember him as the family prodigy, playing the piano well by the age of three. During summers spent at Lake Dalecarlia, Indiana, they would persuade him to play for the Sunday School audience. Around the age of 11, the family moved from Chicago’s Edgebrook neighborhood to rural Walworth, Wisconsin.

Ray began classical music training at an early age with teachers associated with the School of Music at Northwestern University. He was especially proud of his musical pedigree and continued his classical training for several years with Mrs. Naomi Roeker, grandniece of Edward Marxsen, who taught both Liszt and Brahms. Ray later arranged and recorded two albums, Reflections, Ray Young Performs Romantic Classics and Selections of George Gershwin, family favorites that he loved to share with everyone.

Music was part of Ray’s heart and soul. He played clarinet in the band at Walworth High School, graduating in 1958. At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he played clarinet in both the concert and marching bands. Music also brought Ray and Jean together, and they fell in love on a band trip. They continued to date through college, attending dances and parties where Ray often played the piano and Jean stayed to make sure no one else would take her home.

Ray and Jean married in Madison in August 1961. After earning his degree in music from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Ray continued his studies and earned an MBA in finance in 1963. Upon graduation, he accepted a position with Continental Bank in Chicago. Ray and Jean moved to Mt. Prospect, Illinois, and began their family, welcoming daughters Katherine and Susan. Not long after, Ray went to work for Kimberly-Clark in Neenah, Wisconsin. In 1970, he joined Manitowoc Savings Bank, and the following year their family was complete with the birth of Jeffrey.

While Ray built his career in banking and finance, music was never far away. Nearly every night after work, and for hours on the weekends, Ray relaxed at the piano. In Manitowoc, he connected with the local theater group, The Masquers, Inc., serving as music director and conducting the orchestra for their production of Hello, Dolly! Throughout their marriage, Ray and Jean often performed together, with Ray at the piano singing duets with Jean, or Jean accompanying him on her flute.

In the 1980s, Ray was an officer at Northern City National Bank in Duluth, Minnesota. His love of music and talent for finance came together when he became treasurer for the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra. As the banking and finance industries shifted, Ray, always an innovator in his field, created a series of computer programs that allowed banks to operate more efficiently and eventually started his own company.

Ray and Jean built their retirement home on the shores of Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay, making sure it was large enough to welcome their children and grandchildren for holidays and summer vacations. They enjoyed hosting Midsummer’s Music concerts in their home, biking on the peninsula, spending time on the beach, and sharing their mutual love of music with the many friends they made along the way.

In retirement, Ray also pursued nature and floral still-life photography, eventually expanding into digital art. Another favorite hobby was model railroading. Christmases were especially memorable for his grandchildren, who watched with wonder as Ray created elaborate holiday train layouts.

For Ray, life was never far from a piano, and every season carried its own melody. From childhood recitals to family gatherings and quiet evenings at home, music was the thread that connected his life’s work, his deepest friendships, and his greatest loves, Jean and their family.