Rodney Lynyear Youngs born 4/27/54 Queens NY to Joyce Garris and Robert Youngs both deceased.

Rodney graduated Erasmus Hall High School in Flatbush, NY. Most known as the Alma Mata of Mae West, Barbra Streisand and such famous dropouts such as Moe Howard and Bobbie Fischer. Rodney loved Erasmus and had fond memories and many stories which he and his friend Fran would reminisce about in great detail.

Rodney attended Franklin Institute in Boston Massachusetts where he received his Associates degree.  He fell in love with his future wife, Jacquie under the Citgo sign in Kenmore Square (a reference for all the Bostonians).

Rodney was a student, photographer and a poet that loved music. He had a large LP collection, an ongoing portfolio of photography dating back to high school and notebooks of poems. He was a fun loving person who made friends in all people. During those years he partied in an Irish bar during the height of the bussing in south Boston.  He attended his first Bar Mitzvah.  He would go home to friend's homes and hang out with their friends and immediately be one of the gang. In no time Rodney was in the middle of a party and everyone's friend. He was a faithful friend and always had the right words.  His dorm room always had someone asking for advice.  From the time he and Jacquie met and all through their lives together, Rodney always lived his life quietly, by example, through his deeds, in his choice of friends and who and how he loved.

Rodney and Jacquie moved from Boston to Lowell, MA where Rodney worked, sometimes multiple jobs, while attending college to receive his BS in Business Administration from The University of Lowell. He decided to pursue computer engineering and entered the emerging field. He and his friend Greg spent many hours at their ADP job up to their eyes in punch cards. Rodney and Jacquie joined a bowling league and throughout the years would bowl in other leagues.  Rodney was a very skilled bowler.

In 1980 Rodney and Jacquie married and moved cross country to the beaches of Southern California where Rodney started his career with TRW in software engineering, where he made many lifelong friends. The four years living a block from Manhattan Beach were some of his happiest times. The happy go lucky NY/Massachusetts transplant fit right in with the young California neighbors.

In 1984 Rodney and Jacquie transferred with TRW to Massachusetts to work on a TRW/Raytheon project. From 1984 to 1993 Rodney worked on TRW projects and at times was temporarily deployed to Virginia Beach and also the Aleutian Islands; an assignment and adventure he never forgot. He again made many lifelong friends. During those years many happy times were spent with family and friends filled with travel and music and parties. Rodney never hesitated to participate.  He got on stage in Jamaica to participate in a banana eating contest, he "sang" an opera with other tourists in a restaurant in Italy, and was the butt of Don Rickles' heckling in Vegas. He was always the best sport!

Rodney decided to study and became adept at craps and then of course became the "craps guru" teaching numerous friends and family this game he loved. Trips to Vegas became part of life to practice his skill and to enjoy the food and numerous shows. He loved being a "travel guide" for friends who came on the trips and making itineraries for other people's trips. Special birthdays and anniversaries made many wonderful memories in Las Vegas throughout his life. Many friends will have Vegas memories of Rodney. Rodney also was excited to take his skills around the world and played in Monte Carlo, Amsterdam, Aruba, and Venice.

In 1993 Rodney started working for Grumman in Melbourne. He thoroughly enjoyed Florida and the weather and it became home right from the start. Rodney decided he wanted to excel at pool and nine ball and true to his engineering mind he bought books and studied and practiced and was a member of many leagues over the years.  He enjoyed foreign travel and art and museums and fortunately was able to visit many places during his lifetime. He threw the coin in the Trevi fountain to wish to come back to Rome again and it worked two more times. Rodney worked in various areas in Grumman and was very proud of his work.  Rodney retired from Northrop Grumman in 2014.

Rodney was an amazing and solid provider with a logical financial planning mind that was always mentoring younger friends.  He allowed Jacquie to be a free-spirit in choosing jobs and moving around at her will and never complained.  He was totally easy going as a marriage partner and would say, "whatever you want is ok with me."  He never complained about the addition of furry family additions, even with no notice like once when returning home at 1 a.m. from a business trip to a note on the door that said careful, don't let the kitten out.

For forty-five years Rodney was a faithful and loving (if not somewhat reluctant with some of the cats) cat parent. Through more sets and triples of cats to mention he fed and nurtured and was sat on and meowed at over the years. He and 18 year old Gwenie were inseparable for the last seven months of his life.  One cat in particular; Sylvester, had a way of making people love him and wormed his way into Rodney's heart. They are surely cuddling together now.

Rodney had not been into exercise during his life but with Parkinson's he tried as it was important to fight the disease. He eventually worked with a personal trainer, Dena, who was very patient but firm. She helped him over the years to form muscle and balance.  He also joined Rock Steady Boxing in Melbourne and their specialized program for Parkinson's. He loved it and loved Janice Moia and all the people there. He went three times a week and it helped tremendously. He always told everyone all about it.

Rodney was a big man with a gentle soul and the kindest heart.  What everyone always mentioned was his huge smile.  In 2014 he started showing signs of Parkinson's.  Throughout his battle with Parkinson's it became harder to smile but he always maintained his loving spirit.  His body became cruelly bent, his voice got softer and garbled; he couldn't eat well; he couldn't think clearly. He was tired all the time. Eventually everything he loved was too hard for him. He was thin and frail. People who only knew him when he was sick would comment on what a sweet and wonderful man he was.  Wonderfully, every once in a while, a sage comment or joke would still come from him which would make us all smile to see a glimmer of his old self.

Parkinson's ravaged Rodney's body, his mind and stole his smile. On August 4, 2020 it finally released his beautiful soul from his tortured body.  Now he can laugh and sing and dance and be free and the life of the party. His partner in life, love and crazy times Jacquie, his mother-in-law Sandra Kurgan, brother-in-law Eric Kurgan, his adored aunt Alfreda and all the cousins, cousins Lenny and Lynn and family, cherished friends: Greg, Janet, Renee, Billy, Betsy and family, Barbara, Skip and family, Fran, Bill, Joan, Rob, Luluk, Dave, the south Florida gang, the California friends, the Massachusetts friends, the adopted Ron Jon family, the Florida real estate contingent, have all been important to him.  Rodney was touched by many people including his coworkers at TRW, Northrop Grumman, fellow pool buddies and all friends and family that have meant so much to Rodney throughout the years.  Everyone, please remember him as he was before Parkinson's, remember his smile and rejoice that he is free again.

Rodney was a completely "human" person who had strong beliefs of right and wrong and how people should treat each other but not a follower of organized religion. It was his wish to be cremated and his ashes to be scattered at sea. He felt we remembered people each and every day with words and deeds and amazing memories of times together.  To that end, we will not hold a service. Please think of a happy time you spent with Rodney and send those thoughts to him and then go out into the world with kind deeds in his honor.

If you wish to make a donation in lieu of flowers, etc. please donate to the Michael J Fox Parkinson's Foundation. michaeljfox.org . Maybe someday this disease won't steal away another beautiful person's smile.