Michael W. Young, 67, of Nixa, Missouri passed away in the morning of the 8th day of January, 2015, under the care of hospice and in the company of his family, during Walker Texas Ranger: his show. Mike was born on the 7th of May, 1947, in Pacific, MO to parents, Jean and H. C. Young, who inspired in Mike a fondness for land and farming. As a young man, he followed in his father's footsteps and served his country in the Navy, working in Correspondence on a ship, and he was stationed in Hawaii and Scotland. He returned to Southwest Missouri State University to study business. He met and married Sandra Copeland, to whom he was married for 28 years. He began a 38-year-long career as the head of Human Resources at the Paul Mueller Company, while raising his three children. He coached the kids' baseball and basketball teams, took trips with his family to the lake, and spent time in his garden, especially with his daughter, Mel, who is now a farmer. In fact, in his later days, Mike sported an "I love my farmer" baseball cap, for he was fiercely proud of his children and four grandchildren. Mike's life was marked by generosity: there was nothing he enjoyed more than giving, and his family, friends, and countless co-workers do not hesitate to say so. Mike was resilient, even through the health challenges in his later years, even through the tragic loss of his son, and he continued to work with dignity to nurture relationships with his family, friends, and gardens for as long as he lived. He was sustained not only by his enjoyment of television shows about cowboy heroes, but especially by his steadiness of love for his family. Mike was preceded in death by his son, Brandon Young, and is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Kimberly Young, and grandchildren, Kaylin and Coleson, of Colorado Springs, CO; daughter and son-in-law, Melissa and Adam Millsap, and grandchildren Béla and Owen, of Springfield, MO; parents, H.C. and Jean Young of Pacific / St. Charles, MO; brother, Steve Young of Long Beach, CA; and sister and brother in law, Kathy and Don Hutson of St. Charles, MO. A celebration of Mike's life will be held at the Mother's Brewing Company Tasting Room at 7:30pm on Saturday, January 10th. Friends and family are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made through Urban Roots Farm for use in an urban agriculture project. Please visit www.UrbanRootsFarm.com to donate.