Terry Young

AUSTIN – Veteran journalist Terry Young, a former president of the Austin Headliners Club, died Oct. 1 at his home in Cedar Park. 
He was 81.
A native of Pampa, Young excelled at baseball after his family relocated to the Rio Grande Valley. While still in his teenage years, he became a sportswriter and editor, capacities in which he served for three daily papers while pursuing his love of athletics in high school and beyond. 
Young graduated from sportswriting to work as a reporter and bureau manager for United Press International (UPI) in Texas and New Mexico. He was published worldwide while on the scene covering such major stories as the Billy Sol Estes scandal, the Texas White House of the LBJ presidency and the UT Tower sniper story in 1966.
Young’s assignments brought him into contact with movers and shakers in Texas and national politics. He served as president of Austin’s Headliners Club in 1981 and was active with many professional public relations and press groups during his career.
Young’s UPI career ultimately led to his association with Texas public relations pioneer Julian Read as a key staff member of the Read-Poland public relations firm. Highlights of his public relations career included groundbreaking work with the 1968 World’s Fair in San Antonio; front-line representation of Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus; and political work with Ben Barnes, John Connally and later, with a young George W. Bush. 
His aptitude for sports resurfaced in 1969 as chief writer for Read-Poland’s six-year run producing the Darrell Royal Show. Subsequently he co-hosted the groundbreaking “Football: Southwest Conference Style” with his longtime friend and colleague Gary Pickle, bringing weekly highlights of SWC football to a television audience.
He married another avid sports fan, June Winston, in 1961. They would have celebrated their 58th anniversary in January 2019. They were big supporters of the Round Rock Express, becoming the minor league team’s unofficial ambassadors/public relations agents/superfans. The couple had just completed a visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York , with their family in the week before his death.
Many stories of Young’s life were encapsulated in his recently published memoir, “Stop the Train – The Bridge is on Fire!”
In addition to his wife, Young is survived by three children, six grandchildren, one great grandchild and other relatives.
A memorial service and celebration of life were held at CrossPointe Church in Austin, his church family for the past decade. Interment was in the Texas State Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to Young Life (The Hills Area TX428) P.O. Box 29751, Austin, TX 78755-6751 or Mobile Loaves & Fishes, 9301 Hog Eye Road, Suite 950, Austin, TX 78724.