Obituary of Muriel Vanderveer Smeallie Youngs

Cherished mother and beloved shopkeeper, Muriel Youngs died in Manhasset, New York, on December 28th at 81. Also known as Jhan Smeallie, Muriel was born in Amsterdam, New York in 1924, to John Vanderveer Smeallie, a prominent executive of the Mohawk Rug Company, and Madge Robie Smeallie, a much-loved piano teacher. Muriel was a proud and active member of the last all female graduating class of Adelphi College, where she was president of the Glee Club, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority, and May Day Queen in 1946. She and her husband Floyd-Jones Youngs were founding residents of the Long Island town of Old Bethpage; after raising 4 children, she ran several clothing stores, including the Clothes Club, a haven for working women in the town of Manhasset where she lived for the last twenty years. She is pre-deceased by her husband, her parents, and her sister, Ernestine Smeallie Black. She will return home to Amsterdam to rest in peace alongside the parents she adored. She is survived and will always be missed by her children, John Smeallie Youngs the actor John Savage, Robin Caldwell Youngs, Gail MacLachlan Youngs Dwyer, and James Vanderveer Youngs. She is loved by her grandchildren Jennifer, Lachlan and Joshua Youngs, Dialynn, Gwynna and Amberlina Dwyer, and her great grandchild, Zolan Youngs. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 5th, 2006 at 1p.m. at the Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue, Amsterdam, New York with the Rev. R.W. Williams presiding. Interment will take place in Fairview Cemetery. A calling hour will precede the funeral from 12 until 1.