Rev. Robert Wesley Younts Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Bob Younts was born in High Point, North Carolina to Paul Lindsay Younts and to Elise Mae Palmer on February 18, 1931. He passed away at Piedmont Regional Hospital in Athens, Georgia on Monday, March 28, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Pentecost Younts of Winder. He also leaves behind his sons, George of Charleston, S.C., and John Younts of Winder, Ga. He graduated from High School in 1949. He grew up in High Point, NC, the only son of a grocery, where the community members gather daily for lunch and for coffee. During the Great Depression, Paul granted credit to many who could not afford to buy milk, and bread, etc. After the Great Depression, he tore up his list of debtors, and did not collect his debts. In addition the family was very active at Wesley Memorial Church which grew to 2000 in the 1950’s. It was an exciting place to be, the Furniture Capitol of the World, always growing and giving people great opportunities. On Sundays occasionally, Bob and his parents would visit a branch of the family in Mount Airy, N.C. which owned a soda foundation and gave Andy Griffith his first job. In this setting and Paul’s store, Bob saw the positive power of a friendly community where people encouraged and supported each other. Next he went to then earn a BA in Sociology from Duke University in 1953, where he was sophomore class president. In 1956 he graduated from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. At Perkins, he began a lifelong friendship with the professor Albert Outer. Next he began The Wesley Foundation in Winston Salem, North Carolina, he later wrote his book, Up to My Hips in Alligators And I Can’t Find The Drain Plug! The Story of The Founding of The Wesley Foundation in Winston Salem, North Carolina, 1956-1962. There in North Carolina, he met his wife Carolyn Pentecost, a Methodist minister who he married in 1961 in Greensboro. N.C. In 1962 he became director of the Wesley Foundation at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, where his first son John arrives. In 1965 he joined the Northern Illinois conference (Rock River) as pastor of Wellington Park United Methodist Church in Chicago, where his second son, George was born. While there he started his masters, a Masters of Theology at Chicago Theological Seminary. His mentor was Franklin Litteral, and his dissertation was entitled The Curriculum of The Laity or other Title The Enabler: A Book on Facing Today’s American Church Struggle. This thesis helped to set a focus to educate laypersons to be more involved with the church. Next he moved to Mount Carroll, where Shimer College was located. Bob finished his thesis and started a coffee house to provide a place for dialogue during the Vietnam War. At the next church, Lake Villa, Bob took a church on mission aid and made financially self supporting. Also he bought in almost half of the congregation. He started a new Scout Troop 184 as its scoutmaster which in a short time, rocketed up the list to being the second troop in the district with the advancement progress of its scouts. Then he moved westward to Freeport, Illinois, where he enjoyed the zeal of the number one dairy farmer county in Illinois. He saw both sons graduated from Freeport High, and from Illinois Wesleyan University. Plus his sons received their Eagle Scout badges which made him proud since he was an Eagle Scout. Finally his last appointment was at Park Forest, Illinois. Another interest along his career was constant learning. For in 1979 he and Carolyn along with others began the Western Northern Illinois Theological Study Group. Another key area of interest was Christian Unity between different denominations. Then after 29 years in the Northern Illinois Conference he moved back to the South to lead the Christian Council of Metropolitan Atlanta for three years. His other work included the Joint Methodist and Jewish Anti-Defamation League Committee on Christian Unity and Inter-religious Concerns and the 1960s civil rights protest. Then he moved to Winder to retired. In 2005 he and his wife also began along with others the North Georgia Theological Study Group. He also taught classes at Winder Methodist Church. Of particular enjoyment, was arranging popular programs for the Methodist Men group at the church, he loved to get the meeting room full of happy attendees. Along his journey, he was a Rotarian, and a member of Kiwanis club. In later years, he enjoyed woodworking, physical exercise, and gardening. When his health was challenged, he immensely enjoyed watching all of the Andy Griffith shows on DVD; it was good for his soul, to see his childhood environment again on the screen. A place where all, different persons as they are, can by the end of the show episode to reaffirmed by the community and to be loved. As the different flowers on his casket illustrate his willingness to work with and develop with a variety of persons in his ministry. Bob came full circle, from a child of the Great Depression, to a pastor thru the Gospel developed an effective community not only for the local church, and for other churches as well with his ecumenism interest. He had the courage to break out of homogeneous nature, (the Southeast) to effectively make friends across the fruited plain (different cities, and towns). He was a gifted person who utilized his talents and gifts to serve the Lord. We appreciate his effective educational effort, many have benefited from his knowledge and zealous teaching. To close the family also wants to thank both Joe Holt and Jenny Mitchell for their kindness in assisting the family during Bob’s later years. Furthermore we appreciate many persons in Winder Methodist Church congregation for their care and compassion to the family in Bob’s time of challenging health. To God, Be the Glory. His visitation will be April 3, 2022 at Winder First United Methodist Church from 6-8 pm., and his funeral will be on April 4, 2022 at 11 am at Winder First United Methodist Church. Interment will be held at Pentecost United Methodist Church in Winder, Ga. Carter Funeral Home, Winder, is entrusted with the arrangements.

Rev. Robert Wesley Younts

February 18, 1931 - March 28, 2022