Forest City Gear chairman and former president Fred Young passed away July 17 with his family at his side. He was 80. Young served as the second generation of Young leadership at the company along with his wife, Wendy, for more than 50 years.
Young was born April 21, 1943, in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a B.A. in English literature from Rockford University in 1965 and went on to spend a year in the Navy Reserves. He took over the family business, Forest City Gear, in 1967. Founded by his parents in 1955, Young took the small “mom and pop” shop to a global level, leading the company to manufacture some of the world’s most difficult gearing for amazing end uses, from NASA’s Martian rovers and space station to robotic arms and racing yachts. His middle daughter, Kika, took the reins of the family business last year.
Young was involved in many community organizations including his temple, Temple Beth-el, Trout Unlimited, the American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA), the board of Rockford University, and many more. He received dozens of awards over the years including the Award of Distinction from Rockford University, the Rockford Chamber of Commerce Manufacturer of the Year in 2006, and the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award from AGMA. Young had many hobbies including fly fishing and hunting, as well as whitewater boating and kayaking in his younger years.
Young was preceded in death by his parents, FCG founders Evelyn and Stelter Young, and his wife, Wendy. He is survived by his daughters, Appy (Rustin) Mikel, Kika (Anthony) Risa, Mindy (Ryan Davis) Young; grandchildren Joey, Kysa, Levi, Addy, AJ, Nollie, Clementine, Charley, Evie, Wilder, Stetler; step-grandson, Felix Davis; sister-in-law Lori (Roger) Brandel; brother-in-law Todd Nutter; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews, his “gear son” Jared Lyford, and a large circle of treasured friends.
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