(The Herald-Press published the following story by Mary Rainwater on its website on July 28. C.H. Young is a member of BLE Division 194 in Palestine, Texas.)
PALESTINE, Texas — Don’t lend Palestine’s C.H. Young an ear, or you may never get it back.
The Jacksonville born railroad retiree spends much of his golden years working in his garden, doing yard work, whittling and among other things, talking.
“I love to run my mouth,” he smiled. “You just have to tell me when to be quiet.”
Young’s hobby of choice is whittling and doing woodwork, a skill he picked up as a child. That hobby also got him his nickname, “Blade.”
Young belongs to the local woodwork club, the Dogwood Carvers, made up of several retirees and local peace officers.
Some of his carvings include wooden chains – carved from single pieces of wood – small dogs figures, and flowers, which his wife uses in arrangements seen around their home.
He is well known for his detailed western boot carvings, which include small details such as thread lines and nail holes in the heel.
“There was a time when everyone at work had a pair of those boots sitting on their desk,” he said. “I even made some as Christmas gifts.”
Young seems to be able to build or carve anything – folding tables, magazine racks, collectible spoon racks, and decorative carved wooden utensils.
“I really enjoy doing it,” he said.
When not carving wood, Young’s garden is his pride and joy.
It has produced about 35 bushels of tomatoes a year for the past three years – many of which are given away to friends and neighbors.
Young also loves to tell the story of the 30-foot well, dug by himself, in his back yard.
“It provides irrigation for both my yard and garden,” he said.
Between his carvings and his wife’s ceramics and floral arrangements, many might say the Young’s home is a museum.
“Some call it a museum, but we call it home,” Young said.
Married in 1953, Young and his wife, Loretta, have lived in their home on Gardner Drive since 1965.
Married 50 years in September, the Youngs recall how they met as if it were yesterday.
“We met at a local bait store where I worked,” Loretta Young said. “He came in buying bait and didn’t even know how to put in on a hook.”
“But I got the best catch of all,” he told her.
C.H. Young is retired from the local Union Pacific railroad, where he was an engineer for 41 years. Loretta Young is a homemaker and volunteer at the local hospital.
The couple has two sons, two granddaughters and two great-granddaughters.