Honoring a Red Cross Hero

Thank you, Albina. We Will Miss You

Written by Catherine Carlton, Volunteer Contributor

We lost one of our own last month. Albina Young, a long-time Red Cross volunteer, passed away at the age of 100. 

She spent the majority of her life doing what all of us hope to be able to say about ourselves: she loved and she helped others.

Albina was married for 75 years to her loving husband, Robert. And she spent 67 years selflessly volunteering with the American Red Cross. Her tenure started during World War II by knitting sweaters for soldiers. She did this from the Production Room in Dallas, Texas. If you stop by there today, you’ll see a quilt hanging on the wall indicating it’s “Albina’s Production Room.” 

After the war, the need for sweaters and socks for soldiers had quieted so Albina and her crew began knitting for babies at Parkland and Children's hospitals. They met weekly in the Production Room and engaged home-bound volunteers by delivering materials, picking up finished booties and caps, and then delivering them to children in need. 

When Albina and Bob could no longer drive, they continued to volunteer from their retirement home. At the age of 99, Albina reluctantly retired from her Red Cross service. 

She is described by her Red Cross family as “dedicated, strong, vibrant, confident and capable.” 

“She was born in 1911, the same year the chapter began, which is remarkable,” said Susie Spartano, director of volunteer services for the Red Cross. “She received a 55-year pin and several other awards from the Red Cross and other agencies for her service to the community.”

“When I first began working here, Albina was 89. She was full of fire and full of energy. She was gung ho,” Susie continued. “She could run the production room with complete confidence. Every week for years and years she had a staff of four or five volunteers who would sew under her guidance. She is inspiring.”

Albina’s family has honored her dedication to the Red Cross by requesting that memorial donations from friends and family be made to the American Red Cross. While writing this story, we learned that Bob has now joined Albina. He passed away on Christmas Eve. We are a better organization because of their service. Our heart goes out to the Young family as we also miss this tremendous couple each time we pass her Production Room.