Katie Jean Myers Young, devoted mother, grandmother, loyal friend and mentor to many, passed away on Sunday, June 15, 2014 at the age of 75 in Baton Rouge.

Katie was born on June 22, 1938 in Scott City, Kansas.

After graduating from Baton Rouge High in 1955, she earned a bachelor's degree in English and Social Studies at Northwestern University in Natchitoches.

Over the next few years, while pursuing her graduate degrees in counseling and administration supervision, Katie began teaching in Church Point, LA as an English teacher. Those years were very dear to her, and she continued to remain close with her students.

Three years later, she moved back to Baton Rouge and started teaching at Broadmoor High School. In 1967,while at Broadmoor, she was awarded the EBR Teacher of the Year Award and then placed 2nd in the state for the State Teacher of the Year Award.

When Tara High School was completed, she became one of their first guidance counselors. A few years later BRHS became a magnet school, and she served as one of their counselors.

Five years later, Katie worked as the State English supervisor for the LA Dept of Education. After more than 10 years of service, she decided to retire from the Department of Education, and returned to the classroom.

She became a guidance counselor at St Michael's High School in Baton Rouge.

In 2010, Northwestern Univ. chose her to be inducted into their Hall of Fame of Distinguished Educators, an honor that is awarded to few people each year.

Finally after spending 55 years in education, she decided to retire permanently. In that year of retirement, Katie began to really enjoy retired life by playing bridge with her longtime friends, following all LSU games, and spending quality time with her family, especially her granddaughter, Allison.

She enjoyed attending all of the class reunions of the schools where she worked and was thrilled to be invited.

Katie had a gift for relating to everyone she met. She expressed her boundless interest in people of all sorts, and was in every sense a helpmate to all she met.

Friends and students who, are everywhere, aware of the influence and the sense of direction that she inspired.

An active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Katie served her church community by leading and assisting in many church activities over the years.

She especially enjoyed reading lessons and being a part of the altar guild during Sunday services.

She is preceded in death by her parents, EJ and Opal Myers; her ex-husband, but closest friend, Charles K. Young; her brother, Don Myers; and niece, Holly Myers.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Tarilyn and Chuck McBride; her granddaughter, Allison McBride; sister-in-law, Celeste Myers, and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her long-time college friends, teacher friends, and her weekly bridge group.