Volen Thomas “Tom” Young Jr. passed away on August 3, 2026, in Springfield, Missouri, at the age of 81. He was born on March 18, 1945, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Virginia Louise (Roberts) Young and Volen Thomas Young Sr.

Following a severe stroke in August 2025, Tom resided in a long-term care facility, where he quickly became a beloved part of the community. He made friends easily—whether through arts and crafts (which he naturally excelled at), sharing meals, or participating in an impressively competitive round of bingo. He was visited often by friends, former employees, business associates, and family. Tom remembered every visitor with remarkable accuracy and spoke often about how deeply those visits meant to him. The family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks to everyone who visited, called, sent cards, flowers, food, gifts, and especially prayers. In his final days, Tom was surrounded by the love of family and friends.

Anyone fortunate enough to know Tom knew he was never one to boast about himself or his accomplishments. He found his greatest joy in seeing others shine. He was results-driven, appreciative, confident, quiet, and humble—someone who listened intently and led by serving others with purpose. His faith, his family and friends, and his country were the pillars of his life.

With that spirit in mind, his family and close friends collaborated on this obituary to honor a man who rarely made much of himself, but who spent a lifetime inspiring and lifting up everyone around him.

Tom was a standout prep and collegiate athlete. As quarterback, he led both his high school team—the 1962 Southwest High School Longhorns—and his college team—the 1966 SMSU Bears—to championships. He lettered in baseball at SMSU in 1964 and served as co-captain of both his high school championship baseball team and his high school and college football teams. A three-sport letterman at Southwest High School, Tom also led his football team to a city-wide championship. He loved listening to a recorded broadcast of that game and sharing memories with family. The broadcast was called by a young, not-yet-famous Harry Caray—something Tom always got a big kick out of.

Tom married the love of his life, Sheila Diane Scott, in February 1969 at Drury Chapel in Springfield. They met on the campus of SMSU (MSU). During his college years, Tom earned a BFA in Fine Art while playing football for the Bears, forming friendships with teammates that lasted a lifetime. He was also a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

Soon after marrying Sheila, Tom served his country as a commissioned officer with the 173rd Airborne in Vietnam from 1969–70. He was a very proud Army Veteran. A few years after returning from his military service Tom and Sheila were blessed with two beautiful children, a daughter, Tara Scott and a son, Bryan Thomas.

Tom had many talents and interests. He enjoyed woodworking, home remodeling, painting, drawing, canoeing, snow skiing, and spending time boating on Table Rock Lake. He loved playing golf and tennis at Twin Oaks Country Club, where he was a longtime member. A passionate supporter of MSU Bears Football, he rarely missed a game. He also cherished traveling with his wife and children, sharing especially memorable adventures across Switzerland, China, Mexico, Jamaica, Hawaii, Florida, Colorado, the Caribbean, and other destinations throughout America.

Professionally, Tom was the owner of Young & Company Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations, which he founded in 1971 on Pickwick Street in Springfield. As the agency grew, he built his own building on Ingram Mill Road, where the company thrived until his retirement. Among his many accomplishments, Tom designed the Bass Pro Shops logo. A few years before his passing, he received a cherished handwritten letter from Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, thanking him for his work as “the man behind the Bass Pro Shops logo.” Tom was deeply grateful for that recognition.

Young & Company earned numerous accolades and Addy Awards, contributing to the success of many well-known iconic brands and campaigns in the Springfield area. Tom valued close relationships with his clients and intentionally kept his firm at a size that allowed him to work with them personally. He led with integrity, mentored his employees, and proudly watched several go on, with his encouragement, to launch their own agencies and businesses. Within his community he was active sitting on multiple boards and provided pro bono work regularly. His firm was a highly respected 4A agency.

Tom was a man of strong faith and as a member of First and Calvary Presbyterian Church, he served in leadership roles.

Above all, Tom loved his family with his whole heart. Time was his greatest treasure. Dinners filled with stories and laughter were among his favorites, and he delighted in tucking his children into bed at night. His dogs, Lava Lou and Buddy Guy, brought him tremendous joy. He was a devoted husband and father, endlessly proud of his children and their accomplishments.

His daughter, Tara Scott Lewis, earned a BFA in Theatre from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, and is an actress and director for Smoke on the Mountain in Branson. His late son, Bryan Thomas Young (Lynus), graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute and was a published artist in Art in America, with many successful gallery showings. Bryan was also an exceptional chef at the Blue Bird Bistro in Kansas City.

Tom is preceded in death by his beloved son Bryan Thomas Young (Lynus); his mother, Virginia Louise (Roberts) Young; his father, Volen Thomas Young Sr.; his sister, Linda Louise Holtsclaw; brother-in-law Bill Holtsclaw; and Sheila’s parents, Harold and Helen Scott. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Sheila Diane (Scott) Young; his daughter Tara Scott Lewis and her husband Ty Lewis; Sheila’s cousin Steve Scott; nephew Greg Holtsclaw; niece Lisa Payne; nephew Mitch Holtsclaw; niece Teneile Holtsclaw; and many other beloved family members and friends.

Tom Young was loved and respected by his family, friends, teammates, colleagues, and former employees. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him and were inspired by his presence in their lives.

A celebration of life will be held at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 26, 2026, with a visitation to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Tom’s name to:
MSU Foundation
Attn: Bears Football
Alumni Center
300 South Jefferson
Springfield, MO 65803