Lesley Dianne Young

LESLEY DIANNE YOUNG: Lesley Dianne Young passed away on January 9, 2016 at St. Mark’s Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah at the age of 53. She was born on September 21, 1962 in Inglewood, California, the only child of Francis Jean Kipp and Jaydee Wesley Young. Lesley loved her birthday, and it was a significant marker for her throughout her life.
Lesley’s father Jaydee, born and raised in Kansas, was a brilliant aerospace engineer and moved to California after college to design missiles and work in the aerospace industry. Her mother Jean was a graduate of the University of California at Northridge and worked in the geography department of the university after completing her degree.
Lesley was a very bright student like her parents and excelled in gifted and talented education programs through elementary and high school. The family lived in Northridge during Lesley’s childhood and eventually bought a home near the beach in the Los Angeles area. When Lesley was young she spent many weekends and good times with her Grandmother & Grandfather Kipp at their home in San Gabriel. She was the apple of her grandma’s eye and enjoyed card games, her grandparents’ enthusiasm for baseball and her grandmother’s good cooking.
After high school graduation, Lesley worked as a secretary & executive assistant & quickly moved up the professional ranks to become a paralegal for a prestigious law firm in West Los Angeles. Lesley was tall & thin and had a sophisticated style, making her distinctive in her designer professional clothes that made her look like a model. When she attended junior college she was recognized by her teachers as a gifted writer.
In January, 1984, Lesley’s father, and then her mother, just eight days later, died in tragic circumstances when Lesley was just 21 years old. By 1990, stress and illness had taken their toll on Lesley, and she was unable to continue her work at the law firm.
In 1991 Lesley moved to Utah to seek help from her Aunt Lila Stones Whipple (her mother’s sister). That summer Lesley moved to Salt Lake City where Lila’s daughters, Linda Dalton Lowe & Barbara Stones Crawford began helping Lesley and became her advocates, a service they continued through the years until Lesley’s passing. Eventually schizophrenia robbed Lesley of a normal life despite her extraordinary memory, many talents and high IQ.
When Lesley was well she was an avid reader. She enjoyed writing & listening to music, current events, and jewelry . . . especially gem stone rings. She loved the color blue and rice was her favorite food. No matter what, she always took care of her skin & had a beautiful complexion. Lesley had a prodigious memory & her family relied on her for quick information (faster than a computer!) as she knew all dates of major events, everyone’s birthdays, former addresses, phone numbers & details. She was a fountain of knowledge.
Lesley has resided at Millcreek Health Center on Highland Drive since June, 2010. Her family wishes to thank all the professional caregivers who have cared for Lesley & treated her with dignity & respect. We especially want to thank Raymond Lowe, Linda’s husband, who has always been there through the years, no matter the circumstances, to help Linda & Barbara rescue Lesley & keep her safe.
Lesley is preceded in death by her parents & grandparents, her Aunt Lila Stones Whipple & her Uncle Michael Kipp. She is survived by cousins Barbara Stones Crawford & Linda Dalton Lowe, & their families; her Aunt Juliana Kipp (Hanford, California) & other extended cousins.
A graveside service will be held Tuesday, January 12, 2016, 11:30 a.m. at Mountain View Memorial Estates, 3115 East, 7800 South, Salt Lake City, Utah with lunch served immediately following at a nearby restaurant.
Service Information

Graveside Service
January 12, 2016 at 11:30 AM
3115 East 7800 South, Cottonwood Heights, UT