A Tribute to Rex Young

…for we walk by faith, not by sight
— we are of good courage, I say,
and prefer rather to be absent from the body
and to be at home with the Lord.” 
                        - 2 Corinthians 5: 7-8

“Our loss is Heaven’s gain.”

These words are a comfort for those who have trusted in Jesus Christ and His atoning death on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sin.  This is especially true for us who now grieve the death of our friend and brother in Christ, Rex Allen Young (1949-2024).  Rex died on his seventy-fifth birthday, September 20, leaving behind his wife, Carol; daughters Dawn and Amy, and son, Brad; their spouses and many family members and friends.  But there is comfort in our awareness that Rex is set free from his long battle with cancer and now rests in the glorious presence of His God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In 2017, it was our blessed privilege, Abby and I, to become acquainted with Rex and Carol through our church, West Hill Baptist Church, here in Wooster, OH.  At first, our conversations were restricted to our phone calls to ask about Rex’s treatments for cancer; and also to inquire about Rex’s brother, Nester, also with cancer.  Rex and Carol always greeted us with a gracious welcome, and in spite of the trial of his cancer, they were always cheerful and thankful.  These phone conversations led eventually to meeting them at church.  We had begun our 7-year friendship with the Young’s; a friendship that afforded us with many happy times of fellowship together.

The more Abby and I came to know Rex and Carol, the more we could understand several things about them.  We learned that they possessed a strong faith in God, partly the result of their practice of daily reading the Bible together and praying together; and partly as a result of being sharpened by their own spiritual, emotional, and physical challenges as a couple—challenges not unlike ours and of many Christian couples.  In a very gracious and encouraging way, Rex and Carol became part of the “iron sharpening iron” that God used to challenge us in mind, body, and spirit.  Humbly, they claimed that we were also an encouragement to them.  Like shining silver from the refining fires, we became brothers and sisters in Christ by walking together through our blessings and trials. 

We also learned that Rex and Carol were loved and respected by many other brothers and sisters in the faith.  Amazingly, God led us along with several other members of West Hill to form one of several “small groups” that became part of the small group ministry of our church.  It was our privilege to partner with Rex and Carol to lead the group.  From 2019 until this year, this small group of approximately a dozen people, half being couples and half widows, has been learning and growing through our study of the Scriptures used each week in pastoral messages and through praying for each other for consistency in our walk of faith.  [CLICK on image below to enlarge.]



Rex and Carol attended church and the small group as long as Rex’s health permitted.  When it was no longer possible to attend our group, they would read Scripture and pray with us over the phone.  Throughout his declining health and increasing pain, Rex remained strong in faith with beloved Carol by his side.  Many often said, “They make it seem easy to endure the struggle that goes with Stage IV cancer.”  However, we know it wasn’t easy, yet they had learned where to turn for comfort—to the Word of God, and passages like 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 (emphasis added):

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Throughout his 7-year battle with cancer, Rex and Carol drew upon God’s comfort.  And, they also brought comfort to others, giving honor and preference to others above themselves (Romans 12: 10).  In short, their “affliction was producing” something!   For example, their family members could see the “power of Christ being made perfect in weakness” and through the love expressed by their dad and mom, grandpa and grandma, and so on.  Rex and Carol’s prayers were that their loved ones would each choose to “walk by faith” into the saving arms of Christ.  If they too would put their trust in Christ’s atoning work, their loved ones could also gain right standing before God so that one day, all could be together in Heaven.

On the day before Rex’s birthday celebration and “graduation” to Heaven, the four of us read Revelation 21: 1-7 which reveals the promise of Heaven’s glory:  …and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.  And then, we prayed together and bid Rex along with Carol, “Good-bye.” 

We miss you, Rex, but we will “see you in the Morning!”

Rex A. Young, Obituary:  Click HERE.