Choir director mourned by thousands

Family, friends and parishioners packed a South Side church to say goodbye to Donald Young, a choir director at Trinity United Church of Christ, who was found last Sunday shot multiple times at his home in the 2300 block of East 69th Street.

The choir members at Trinity used their voices Saturday to sing praises as the church family of Young celebrated his life. Young was a long time choir director. Saturday, those he once guided through song, found the loss hard to phathom.

"He have everything. He was awesome, just awesome. There are no words to describe him," said choir member Deborah Jackson.

Perhaps, that is the reason Young's family and friends honored him through what some considered his calling: music, along with his commitment to God.

"For he is having blessed time. Uncle Donald is dancing, shouting, singing and saying Amen," Young's niece Latoya Young told the congregation.

There was little discussion during the service about the gun violence that claimed Donald Young's life. Instead, parishioners remembered the impact the 47-year-old had on every life he came in contact with, especially those of children.

"He was someone, when you weren't happy, he was a very happy person most of the time," said church member Joaquim Young.

It was that happiness Young also exhibited everyday in his other passion: teaching. He was a fourth grade math teacher at Gugenheim Elementary School and had just completed a double master's degree program.

As the community he loved reluctantly said goodbye, they honored Donald Young, not only for how he lived, but the example he was to others.