Obituary

Vera Young (McHeffey) passed away on July 5th, 2017 exactly 1 month shy of her 99th birthday. She was born August 5th, 1918 in Bellingham, WA to George McHeffey and Margaret Kelly, the 5th of 8 girls.

Vera married her neighbor Wilfred (Bill) Young and graduated from Ferndale High School in 1936 and soon moved to Bellingham. During the war, she and Bill moved to Seattle where he worked for Boeing. After the war, they returned to Bellingham and purchased their home on the corner of “F & Girard”. She was an active member of Whatcom County Democrats, attended their monthly meetings, and was recognized for her contributions in 2000. It has been rumored that many local elections were won and lost by who had their signs in the windows of her house. She had always baked for friends and family and her cookies and pumpkin bread were her staple. 6 cookies and 2 Pepsis’ were left for the garbage men every week, rain or shine, and she would take cookies across the street to the kids playing at Battersby Field. A cookie tin was given to anyone who visited along with trips to the Police and Fire stations and to the workers at Hardware Sales, her sister’s store with the instruction that “if you want more cookies, bring back the cookie tin.” Somehow, each cookie tin found its way back. Sometimes, the cookies didn’t quite turn out the way she expected “darn oven”, but everyone enjoyed them because they know the love that went into each and every batch. After Bill passed away in 1997, she started volunteering at the Bellingham Food Bank and went on doing so until 2012 at the age of 93. She always had a story of how she had to train the new person when they would get a new “Executive.” No matter how many times she told them, “they” would always mix the buns with the rolls.” And of course each time she came in, she brought her cookies with her.

Vera was preceded in death by her husband Bill and her sons George and Tom Young.

She is survived by her grandsons Bill Young of Seattle, David Young of Gold Bar, Steve Young of Bellingham, Mike Young of Snohomish, John Young of Birch Bay and Don Young of Ferndale with numerous great and great-great grandchildren.

Services will be held at noon on July 17th at Greenacres Memorial Park with a public viewing at 11:00. There will be a reception immediately following the services with everyone invited to bring their favorite homemade cookies to share along with their favorite Vera story.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to the Bellingham Food Bank in her name.

https://donations.bellinghamfoodbank.org/checkout/donation?eid=105093