Charles Young
elevated 0wKAO May 25, 1949 ~ November 3, 2025
elevated 0wKAO Visitation
Saturday, November 15, 2025 from 9:30 – 10:45 am
Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home
211 Langstaff Road East, Thornhill, Ontario, L3T 3Z6
elevated 0wKAO Funeral Service
Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 10:45 am – 12:30pm
Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home
211 Langstaff Road East, Thornhill, Ontario, L3T 3Z6
elevated 0wKAO Interment
Christ The King Catholic Cemetery
7770 Steeles Ave E, Markham, ON L6B 1A8
elevated 0wKAO Obituary
elevated 0wKAO With profound sadness and love, we announce that Charles passed away on November 3, 2025 at the age of 76, after a 17-month battle with cancer.
elevated 0wKAO Born on May 25, 1949, in Kingston, Jamaica, Charles grew up in downtown Kingston, where his parents were shopkeepers. He graduated from St. George’s College high school in Jamaica and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.
elevated 0wKAO At the age of 26, he married, moved to Toronto and started a family. He worked at a couple of banks and found a real passion for bringing out the best in people and organizations through training or process improvement. He leveraged this passion to help launch two successful consulting firms that are still around today.
elevated 0wKAO Outside of his work, he was always busy helping where he could. He played the guitar and sung at church every week for many years. He volunteered with many charities and non-profit organizations – Friends of the Poor, Out of the Cold, Yonge Street Mission, Habitat for Humanity, The Caring Alliance. He was particularly concerned about homeless and founded an organization called the Multi-faith Alliance to End Homelessness. For his work he was recognized with a Community Service award from City of Toronto in 2005. He also helped organize the first Toronto international Hakka conference, helping to preserve and propagate Hakka culture globally.
elevated 0wKAO The youngest of 6, he was a devoted son and cared for his mother for many years until her passing in 2010. When his granddaughters were born in 2011 and 2013, he doted on them at every opportunity.
elevated 0wKAO Charles is now reunited with his beloved parents, Kenneth (1973) and Annie Young (2010), and sisters Maria (2013) and Madge (2013). His legacy lives on in his devoted wife of 50 years, Mavis, brothers Frank (Mavis), Howard and sister Gloria, sons Ken (Qin) and Andrew, and granddaughters Aubri and Erin, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.
elevated 0wKAO An excerpt from his Dartmouth 50th year tribute profile sums up his outlook on life:
elevated 0wKAO “There is a lot to be said for joie de vivre. This is not to be confused with hedonism or conflated with selfishness. In many developing countries I have admired the joyfulness that people with little demonstrate. The little is often enough. They share naturally.
elevated 0wKAO Simple pleasures abound, and light-heartedness is evident. They bear the burden of earning a living gracefully. Contrast their ways with the perfection others expect in their triple venti half sweet non-fat caramel macchiato.
elevated 0wKAO Ring the bells that still can ring
elevated 0wKAO Forget your perfect offering
elevated 0wKAO There is a crack, a crack in everything
elevated 0wKAO That’s how the light gets in.
elevated 0wKAO –Leonard
elevated 0wKAO Cohen”
elevated 0wKAO Charles was an inspiration and an unforgettable companion on the journey of life. He will be dearly missed.
elevated 0wKAO
In lieu of flowers,
elevated 0wKAO the family requests that donations be made to the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
elevated 0wKAO A donation page has been set up in his memory, or envelopes will be accepted at the funeral.
elevated 0wKAO
I send my deepest condolences to Charles’ family and friends. I had the pleasure of participating in the 2008 Hakka Conference committee with Charles as Chair. He helped us to focus on the big picture while creating a detailed project tracker. It wasn’t an easy job, leading so many volunteers in so many varied roles. But he did it with grace and smiles. I’ll remember his positive outlook and supportive approach which was clearly at the heart of everything he did. May he rest in peace.
Sympathies and love to you all as you grieve the passing of this extraordinary human being.
My sincere condolences to Mavis, Ken, Andrew and the grandchildren Aubri and Erin. May you find solace as you grieve the loss of Charles.
“Lord in your goodness pour out on us the fruits of your Spirit, patience, kindness and gentleness” Charles was a shining example of the gifts of the Spirit living inside of him , as he lived out the gospel message in his every day life.
He always exudes happiness , and people were drawn to him and enjoyed being in his company. In the Jamaican vernacular we would say “ Him cool like cucumber and him very popular”.
He was a great advocate for the poor and disfranchised. Charles has now completed his duties here on earth. Yes, there is great sadness, when we lose the friendship, the laughter, and the radiant smile of those we love when they pass on. Charles will be deeply missed at the various gatherings.
Rest in Peace my friend.