Worthington High Schools Alumni Club - Deceased Classmates
First Name
Doris
Maiden Name
Derr
Last Name
Young
Passing Date
12/17/2018
Class Attended
1965
High School
Worthington High School
Doris Lynn (Derr) Young Indianapolis - Doris Lynn Derr Young died Monday, December 17, 2018. She was 71 years old. She died at home, at peace, with her husband, the love of her life, Bill Young, by her side. Doris was born May 25th, 1947, in Ft. Worth, Texas; she was the only child of James Waylan Derr and Doris Timmerman Derr. Each of her parents fostered in her both an independent spirit and lifelong commitment to education. In early life, she lived in Houston, TX; Chicago, IL; Hollidaysburg, PA; Columbus, OH, and Richmond IN. Her professional career was entirely in the Hoosier State, but she always carried a little bit of Texas within her. She attended both Miami University of Ohio and Earlham University before earning her BA in Education from Purdue University. She attained her Master's Degree from Butler University. Doris taught at Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis, IN for 44 years, with a focus on English, Literature, and the Humanities. She was integral in the development of the Broad Ripple Magnet Program and founded and sponsored the Humanities Advisory Council. She also served proudly as Producer, Co-Producer, and/or Sponsor (and general Guardian Angel) for the BRHS "Ripples Acts": one-act plays written, directed, and performed by students of Broad Ripple High School. She received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the Outstanding Young Educator Award in 1981. She retired in 2015, and was awarded the Hubbard Life Changing Teacher Award for that year. "Love your subject matter and love the kids," she said at the time. "Most of all you have to love the kids. They challenge me. I've had to teach myself an awful lot of things." She continued, "No matter what culture we have, we all have the same basic fears and desires. We really are all alike." In her decades as a public high school teacher, Doris taught thousands of students, sometimes teaching multiple generations of the same family. She had high expectations of every student, and made that clear. She also cared about them all, and made that clear as well. Most of her students learned from her, voluntarily or less so; many found her to be one of their favorite teachers. For some she was the one teacher who most changed their lives. Always she modeled both tolerance and freedom of expression, but with a genuine reverence for classical forms. She will be much missed but long remembered by those who knew her through the various facets of her life. She was a wife, mother, sister, aunt, cousin, colleague, mentor, advocate, co-conspirator, friend, inspiration, role model, and more. A life-long educator of high distinction, she demonstrated a strength, energy, and generosity of spirit in every endeavor. Her former students have described her as "funny, opinionated, and whip smart"; "a hero"; "a skilled and committed educator"; "a great lady"; "a helluva woman"; "engaged and caring"; "incredible teacher and wonderful friend", and "warm, kind and joyful". After retiring from teaching, Doris found a new cause and commitment in her work with the Mid-North Food Pantry, where she worked diligently to serve those in need. She took time with her clientele and always strove to uphold their dignity. In her personal life, away from the spotlight of teaching, Doris was socially active, maintaining many life-long friendships with former or current colleagues and former students. She attended Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Indianapolis and was an active member of parish life. She was an avid reader, especially of contemporary literature, but she also loved mystery novels of every description. She loved Hallmark movies and Payday candy bars. She had a well-documented fondness for beer and cigarettes. She loved a good story, smiled easily and often, and was not afraid to share her opinion if asked. She loved Christmas, Christmas movies, Christmas music, and sending Christmas cards, which she always addressed and signed in the impeccable handwriting that made her cards instantly recognizable even still in the envelope. In her last days she was very pleased by the arrival of many dozens of Christmas cards at her home. She died as she had lived, on her own terms, having given her all to serve her family and her community, a warrior for the causes of education and justice, armed with love. Doris was predeceased by her parents James Waylan Derr and Doris Timmerman Derr and by her daughter Elizabeth Claire Young. She is survived by her husband of 40 years, William "Bill" Young; by her cousins and very close friends Bradley and Zee Hirst of Noblesville IN and B.F and Jan Risinger of Corsicana TX; and by many in-laws, nieces and nephews.
