Gladys Foster Young, a beloved member of the Athens community and devoted matriarch, passed away on March 11, 2026 at the age of 94. Born on September 28, 1931, in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, Gladys dedicated her life to her family, her faith, and her work alongside her husband.
For 37 years, Gladys and her late husband, Bill, with whom she shared 65 years of marriage, owned and operated the Athens Auto Trim Company. Their partnership built a thriving business and created lasting relationships within the community.
A devoted member of Johnson Drive Baptist Church, Gladys served as church secretary with diligence and care. Her faith remained a steadfast cornerstone of her life.
Gladys was known for bringing family and friends together through her cooking and warm hospitality. She tended beautiful gardens and took special joy in sewing dresses for her granddaughters.
She is survived by her son, Billy Young; her daughter, Sheryl (Peter) McGowan; and her granddaughters, Kelley Elizabeth (Zac) Smalley and Sarah Austin McGowan. She also leaves behind great-grandsons Luke, Rhett, and Wyatt Smalley. She was preceded in death by her husband, Johnnie Billie Young, her parents, James Dewey Foster and Gertie Lowe Foster, and her siblings Vernice Foster Isbell, Dewey Foster, James Edward Foster, Bobby Swain Foster, and Roger Clifford Foster.
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