Virginia Elaine Edmonds Young, age 73, loving wife of
Anthony “Andy” Young, went home to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ February
13, 2023 after a two year epic fight with cancer.
Elaine was born September 23, 1949 in Asheville, North
Carolina to the late Reverend Oscar S. Edmonds, Jr. and Ellen Landreth Edmonds.
She earned her high school diploma from T.L. Hanna High School in Anderson,
South Carolina. After high school, Elaine attended the Institute for Christian
Service at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. After BJU, she
graduated from the Anderson School of Practical Nursing, Anderson Memorial
Hospital in Anderson, South Carolina.
She met Andy while living in Anderson and they were married
on August 18, 1973 in Travelers Rest, South Carolina at Bethany Baptist Church
where her father pastored.
Elaine accepted Jesus as her personal Savior as a young girl
during a revival meeting under the preaching of evangelist Bill Piper at Rocky
River Baptist Church, Iva, South Carolina where her father was pastor.
She and Andy lived in South Carolina, Tennessee, and
eventually settled in Florida in 1985. Prior to moving to Florida she worked as
a lead reviewer/auditor with the Peer Review Organization (PRO) with the South
Carolina Medical Foundation. After moving to Florida, she was employed with the
Florida PRO in the Orlando region. She began her career at Orlando
Health/Health Central Hospital in 1988 as the UR Coordinator/Nurse Case Manager
and retired from Orlando Health/Health Central in 2018 after 30 years of
service.
Over the years, Elaine served in her local church teaching
children in Sunday School and Children’s church and volunteering at the Center
for Pregnancy of First Baptist Orlando. She loved teaching the Bible and telling Bible
stories with great enthusiasm. Serving at First Baptist Orlando since 1990, she
and Andy volunteered in 2018 to move to the new campus at Horizon West to teach
in the KIDS ministry. At her retirement in 2018 she also volunteered at the
Mike Conley Hospice House of Cornerstone Hospice Foundation in Clermont, Florida.
She
was also active up until the last month of her illness with the Pillow Project ministry
(www.pillowministry.org) to the
homeless in Orlando. She stuffed pillows for the ministry when she was not
physically able to go to the streets and distribute sandwiches, hygiene kits, pillows,
and Bibles.
Elaine is survived by her husband of 50 years, Andy Young
and one son, Nathan (Carrie) Young of Orlando, Florida. She has one precious granddaughter,
Ella Celeste. One brother, Ret. Col. George (Charlene) Edmonds of Salem, Ohio. Also,
a nephew Robert Jason (Elizabeth) Parris of Milton, Vermont, and nieces Katie
Elaine (Michael) Catlow of Gaffney, South Carolina, and Julie (Chris) Colquitt
of Peachtree Corners, Georgia. A brother-in-law, Sam Parris of Gaffney, South
Carolina. She was pre-deceased by her sister Deborah Annabelle Parris of
Gaffney, South Carolina.
Pallbearers for Elaine are men from the Peters E-Life Group
and the Souldiers for Christ Life Group.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to The Horizon West
Church KIDS Ministry, 3000 John Young Parkway, Orlando, Florida, 32805 or The
Center for Pregnancy of First Baptist Orlando, 3000 John Young Parkway, Orlando
Florida, 32805 or www.pillowministry.org.
The family will greet friends on Wednesday, February 22nd,
from 10 until 11 am at the Marie Williams Chapel located on the campus of First
Baptist Church of Orlando, 3000 John Young Parkway, Orlando Florida 32805. The Celebration
of Elaine Young’s life will be at 11 am in the Chapel, followed by a reception
in Faith Hall 3rd Floor.
The burial will be at 2:30 pm at Oak Hill Cemetery, 901 East
Avenue, Clermont, FL 34711.
Arrangements entrusted to Dobbs Funeral Home, Orlando,
Florida.
