October 6, 1937-May 24, 2024
Mom (Jeanne) was a strong, smart, fun-loving woman.

Helen Jeanne Youngblood (nee Lang) was born in 1937 to Ira and Helen Lang. She leaves her sons Bill (Cindy); Steven (Barbara); and Kevin; three grandchildren (Joe, Ben, Alex); two nieces, Jenny and Anna; and her international kids and grandkids from Moldova, Azerbaijan, Uganda, and Syria.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years Larry Youngblood (died 2017), her parents, and her half-sister, Debbie.

You have to be strong, after all, to raise three boys, especially the three Youngblood boys, who were, um, spirited. She spent more time than she should have in emergency rooms, principals offices, and police stations (nothing serious…think youthful hijinks). On top of this, you have to be strong to be married for 62 years to Larry Youngblood—a great guy, but an individual charitably described as “a handful.” It’s still a mystery how mom managed to juggle her boys and a full time job.

Mom was also seriously smart. I think her only big regret in life was not waiting to have a family so that she could go to college, where she would have been an academic rock star. She was a voracious reader. Her and her second son formed their own small book club, exchanging

books and yapping endlessly about their favorites. At work (administering health care grants for the Public Health Service), she should have been running the place, but instead kept butting her head against the cement and steel ceiling. (Back then, it was much more than just a glass ceiling). Mom was great at her job. She was even summoned to Washington to receive an award personally from the HEW Secretary. (HEW was the precursor to HHS).

Mom was justifiably proud of one important side-job she had during her government work. She was the Equal Employment Opportunity officer for her department, advising colleagues on their rights and helping them file discrimination complaints when needed. Jeanne knew that this role didn’t exactly endear her to her bosses, but she persisted nonetheless, secure in the knowledge she was doing the right thing.

Jeanne was always fun to be around, always quick with a quip, sarcastic comment, or barb, usually directed at politicians she loathed. She always had many friends, and commented that the saddest part of growing old is watching your friends slowly pass on. At home, she and her family often competed in “Jeopardy.” With her encyclopedic knowledge, especially of books and movies, she was tough to beat.

Mom was passionate about travel, especially with Larry, her boys, and grandkids. She adored Italy and the Bahamas, and was an enthusiastic cruiser, delighting in teasing Larry about the prodigious quantities of buffet offerings he could consume. (Truly, it was a sight to behold, something that should have been documented by the Guiness Book of World Records).

Jeanne loved animals, especially her precious dogs like Amy, an energetic, quirky, and sweet miniature poodle. She even sort-of-liked her son’s amusingly psychotic cat Scratchy (aka Miss PussPuss).

She lived a really good life, one that ended peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones. She will be missed every single day.

Jeanne requested that there be no service. The family, Amy, and Miss PussPuss suggest donations in her name to the animal charity of your choice (Humane Society, etc.)