He married Irene Slawson on November 27, 1947, and they were married for fifty years, until her death in 1997. Their family includes three children, Anne, Peggy, and Robert.
Nine grandchildren, Matthew, Kevin, Katie, Jason, Megan, Robert, John, Blake, and Teresa, and ten great-grandchildren, Robert, Chelsie, Morgan, Kennedy, Kendall, Cydney, Tegan, Cameron, and Kaiden. Young was a union pipefitter by trade, a member of Pipefitters and Plumbers Local 562, AFL-CIO, St. Louis, until his election to Congress in 1976.
Military service
Young served in the U.S. Army from February 1943 to November 1945. His unit landed "under fire" on Utah Beach, on D-Day, June 6, 1944. He then served in General George Patton's 3rd Army in the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded the Bronze Star for valor in combat, the African-European Campaign Medal with Five Battlestars, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the French Croix-de-Guerre with Palm for D-Day.
Political career
Young's long political career began in 1952 with his election as Democratic Committeeman for Airport Township in St. Louis County, an office he held until 1977. He was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1956 and served there for 6 years. In 1962, he was elected to the Missouri State Senate, and served for 14 years.
During his years in the State Legislature, Young supported legislation that created the St. Louis Junior College District and helped establish the University of Missouri–St. Louis. The St. Louis Globe-Democrat awarded him its Award for Meritious Service to his state three times, 1972, 1974, and 1976.
Young was reelected without serious difficulty in 1978 and 1980. However, after the 1980 census, Young's district was significantly altered as a result of Missouri losing a congressional district. He lost his share of St. Louis, and was instead pushed into more conservative territory to the west. Although he took 56 percent in 1982, he was nearly defeated by Republican State Representative Jack Buechner in 1984 as Ronald Reagan took almost 60 percent of the vote in his district. Young faced Buechner again in 1986, and this time lost by 7,400 votes.
Young was a strong proponent of public works projects to benefit his district and the state of Missouri. The St. Louis Construction News and Review and Pride, Inc. named Young "Construction Industry Man of the Year" in 1981. Among the projects he supported were landscaping the Gateway Arch, renovation of the Old Post Office, the creation of the light-rail mass transit MetroLink system, the construction of the Thomas F. Eagleton Federal Courthouse, the expansion of Lambert Airport, and the new Lock and Dam 26 at Alton, Illinois.
Retirement
After his retirement from public office, Young remained active and involved in community affairs. He was a life member of Amvets, VFW, and was an active member of American Legion Post 338 in Overland, Missouri. He also served on the Board of the James S. McDonnell USO and was a member of the St. Louis Airport Commission.
Awards and honors
In 1988, President Ronald Reagan designated the federal building in downtown St. Louis as the Robert A. Young Federal Building in Young's honor. Originally named the St. Louis Mart and Terminal Warehouse, the Art Deco building at 1222 Spruce Street was designed by Preston J. Bradshaw and completed in 1933. The building was transferred to the United States Army in 1941. In 1961 it was acquired by the General Services Administration and used to accommodate federal agency offices. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.[1]
Other awards and honors Young has received include the following:
The John H. Poelker Transportation Progress Award by the RCGA Board of Directors
Robert Robert Burnes Robert Roberts Robert Morris University Illinois Robert Weiner Robert Despenser Robert Curthose Robert the Bruce Robert College Robert Livingston Robert Awards Robert Abercromby Robert D'Oyly Robert Guiscard Saint Robert Robert Day Robert Muller Robert Whitaker Robert–Rajasekar Robert Hayes Robert Griffin Robert Radcliffe Robert Bristow Robert Cecil Robert Cornthwaite Robert Pollack Robert Fleming Robert Ramsay Robert O'Neill Robert Clayton Robert Lyons Robert Ritchie Robert Lynn Louis Robert Robert Newhard Robert Smyth Robert Marshall Robert Olson Robert Halmi Robert Co…
ke Robert King Robert Hale (publishers) Robert Swann Robert James Robert Coombes Robert Samuels Robert Stevenson Robert Eden Robert Clifton Robert Parker Robert Marmion Robert Pooley Robert Pierpoint Robert Jenkins Robert Sidney Robert Milne Robert Whitney Robert Cotton Robert Cary Robert (doll) Robert Kane Robert Carlisle Robert Schmidt Robert Pack Robert De Niro Sr. Robert Leslie Robert Jungk Robert Clifford Robert Nighthawk Robert Streeter Robert Carroll Robert Howe Robert Austin Robert Paine Robert Courtney Robert Downey Robert Banks Robert Traill Robert Kent Robert Stein Robert Austen Robert Lang Robert Devereux Robert Byrne Robert Neill Robert Grey Robert de Ferrers Robert Hicks Robert Viren Robert Shulman Robert Burke Robert Witt Robert Spence Robert Andrew Robert Child Robert Lucas Robert Mac Robert Emery Robert Freedman Robert Cope Robert Knollys Robert Chapman Robert the Strong Robert Duff Robert Honywood Robert Dyer Robert Rosen Robert Irwin Robert Schwartz Robert Munro Robert Stitchill Robert Dickie Robert Digby Robert Oliver Alain Robert Robert Atkyns Robert Wells Robert Williamson Robert Milligan Robert Crichton Robert Higgins Robert Duggan Robert Mattson Robert Zimme