Newburgh Boston Post Cane Holder

Newburgh resident Charlotte (Khiel) Young will celebrate her 103rd birthday on August 25th. The town will honor its eldest living resident with the presentation of the prestigious Boston Cane, a famous New England tradition started in 1909 by Edwin A. Grozier, publisher of the Boston Post newspaper. Charlotte has lived in Newburgh for over 40 years.

 

Born in 1923 to parents John and Christine Khiel, Charlotte was raised in Maine with her four siblings, Melvin, John, Gerald and Virginia (Ginny).  In 1945 she married Phillip Young and they began a journey that spanned 71 years. Their marriage was blessed with four children, Anne, James, Bethany (Pinky) and Reginald.  Four grandchildren followed and she is now known as “Gubby” to her six great grandchildren.

 

Charlotte, Phillip and daughter Pinky moved to Newburgh after Phillip’s retirement from the University of Maine where he served as herdsmen of the dairy farm for many years.  Together they created an idyllic property with large vegetable and flower gardens. With more time to travel, they enjoyed camping, fishing and visiting gardens and dairy farms in Maine and numerous other states including Hawaii and Alaska. Their foreign trips included Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Switzerland. 

 

Charlotte is known to many as an exceptional knitter of children’s sweaters and personalized Christmas stockings. If you visit her today you will see her with knitting needles in hand working on the next batch of sweaters to be delivered. That is unless she is outside cutting the lawn on her riding mower!  Her mind is sharp and if you challenge her to a game of Train Dominos you must be prepared to lose as many of her family members will attest. Aging at home with the companionship of her daughter Pinky, she still prepares the evening meal.  Books, birds and a few select TV shows brighten her day as well as laughter and conversations with family and friends.

 

Join us in celebrating her day and wishing her many more to come.