James William "Jim" Young

James William “Jim” Young, 53, of Morganton, NC died unexpectedly Monday, June 29, 2015.  Born in Henderson, NC on April 21, 1962, he was the son of Philip M. Young and the late Mary Lou Young.  Jim graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Music Education and was a proud member of Phi Mu Alpha Epsilon music fraternity.  Before moving to Morganton, he taught in the Granville County School System and worked for Piano and Organ Distributors in Durham, NC.  He was the owner of Pianoworks, a piano tuning and repair business in Morganton, and was the staff piano technician for Appalachian State University.  He was a member of the North Carolina Piano Technicians Guild.  Jim played the oboe for Western Piedmont Symphony Orchestra for many years, as well as many churches in the region.  He was a member of First Baptist Church in Morganton.

Above all else, Jim loved his children, Alex and Mary Beth, and his lifelong friends.  He will be remembered for his infectious smile, his love of fishing at the beach, and camping and hiking in the mountains.

In addition to his father, Jim is survived by his son, Alex Young and his wife, Ashley, of Mooresville, NC and a daughter, Mary Beth Young of Boone, NC.

The memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, July 6, 2015 at the First Baptist Church in Henderson with Dr. Ronald Cava officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hayes School of Music, 813 River Street, Boone, NC 28608.

Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.