Former Atwater police chief Quinn Young dies at 86

Patricia Cooperman remembers her father, Quinn Young, as someone who always looked for the good in people and never turned down anyone who needed help.

Young, who became police chief in Atwater -- the state's youngest at the age of 25 -- died Friday at the age of 86 in Merced.

Called a good family man by family members, Young had an illustrious career in law enforcement and law, sold candy and chips across Merced County, and even ran a bowling alley.

He was born in Quitman, Ark., on July 7, 1925, and was one of 10 children. He, his mother and his two younger sisters moved to California when he was 16 after his father, a justice of the peace, died.

Cooperman, 60, said her father never got to go to college because he was too busy taking care of his family. "He was a wonderful giving person and a great brother," said his sister, Geral- dine Silveira, who lives in Atwater.

He started working at a grocery store in Winton at 16 as soon as he got off the train, and after that tried his hand at the Atwater Fire Department, but that didn't work out, according to Cooperman.

"He worked from the time he was 16 years old until January of this year," she said.

In 1949 or 1950 at age 22 or 23, he applied to be a patrol officer for the Atwater Police Department.

He ended up becoming the youngest police chief in the state of California, Cooperman said. Moreover, he was elected Man of the Year in 1959, the year they first chose someone for that honor in Atwater, she said.

She said Atwater benefited from him being chief "because he never turned anyone down. My aunt told the story (that) one year at Christmas there was a widow with children and she had had her electricity turned off and had no money for food or Christmas." So Young made sure she had her electricity turned back on, had a Christmas dinner and the kids received Christmas presents -- all with money from his own pocket.

"He was always doing that," said his other daughter, Carol Hickman, 62.

Young was a great individual, always community-minded, said Atwater Police Chief Richard Hawthorne.

"He was always there if you needed him. He was just a fine man," Hawthorne said. "Young had always kept in touch and was always well-liked by our agency and a good man."

Young was chief until 1959. In 1960, he was appointed judge of the Atwater Justice Court for two years before retiring because of health problems.

That's when he became manager of Century Bowling, which used to be on Childs Avenue in Merced. Family members said he also owned Continental Bowl in the 1960s, which used to be on N Street in Merced. He loved bowling, according to his daughter.

After that, he became head of security for Quebecor, which was formerly called Color Press, which put out TV Guide magazine and other publications on Cooper Avenue. He also set up security and was a courier for Bank of Commerce, which is now Westamerica, in Merced.

In his younger days, he also was a hunter, family members said.

"He was an avid bowler and golfer, so he knew a lot of people out in the country club," Cooperman said. "He loved gambling and poker."

For the past 20 years, he had a vending business through which he sold chips, cookies and candies to county and administration offices all over Merced. He drove to Mariposa once a month to sell goods to different businesses, she said.

He retired in January at the age of 86.

Cooperman said she will miss everything about her father. He married her mother, Hazel, in 1947; they later divorced in 1966 after 19 years of marriage. He was married to his second wife, Dolores, for 34 years.

"When we were growing up, there were three of us girls, always three of us, three rabbits for Easter," Cooperman said.

"There were three baby buggies, three doll beds," added Hickman, laughing. The sisters have an older sister, Mary Alice Romero, 63, of Turlock.

"He was a loving father and he would do anything for anybody, especially us. Never asked questions and just did it," Cooperman said. "Every time someone called him 'Mr. Young,' he would say. 'Call me Quinn. My dad was Mr. Young.' "

Memorial arrangements will be announced by Whitton Family Funeral Services in Merced.

Family members said services tentatively will be set for Friday.

Reporter Ameera Butt can be reached at (209) 385-2477 or abutt@mercedsunstar.com.

This story was originally published September 27, 2011 at 12:34 AM with the headline "Former Atwater police chief Quinn Young dies at 86."