College mourns passing of Irma Kleeb Young

Irma Kleeb Young, an empowering advocate for the Deaf Community who was instrumental in starting the world’s first four-year degree for professional sign language interpreters at Maryville College, died Feb. 13 following a long illness.

She was 83.

Born in Ingleside, Texas, to Maurice and Minnie Secoy, Irma was the daughter of Deaf parents. Her childhood and adolescent experiences helped her understand the everyday challenges of – and then advocate for – the Deaf and Hearing Impaired.

Prior to joining the Maryville College faculty in 1974, Young served as a community interpreter and lobbied Congress to improve rights for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired. She helped found the Knoxville Center of the Deaf. In 1974, then Gov. Winfield Dunn presented Young with a Distinguished Service Award "for her efforts in promoting communication with the Deaf and her efforts in helping establish the Maryville College program."

From 1974 until her departure in 1987, Young guided the College’s interpreting program to national prominence. For her efforts, Maryville College awarded her the Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Contributions in a Chosen Profession during opening convocation ceremonies in 1991.

"Irma Young’s dream was that sign language interpreting, including American Sign Language, spoken English and English sign forms be taught in a liberal arts college," said Peggy Maher, Maryville College associate professor of sign language interpreting and one of Young’s first students. "She was dramatically ahead of her time in foreseeing that the critical thinking and broad learning in the liberal arts can foster the ability and knowledge to perform the demanding in-depth analysis of meaning and conveying this between each language and culture. Irma found complete support for this dream at Maryville College from Academic Dean Carolyn Blair and the faculty who voted unanimously to add the interpreting major in 1974.

"Irma mentored us interpreting graduates even after our time at Maryville College with the Deaf Community's blessings and trust," Maher continued. "We cherish her as a teacher, mentor and friend. And we remember her mischievous humor, steely ‘knife eyes,’ her spirited [American Sign Language] renditions of country songs and reverent signing of favorite hymns. Godspeed, Irma!"

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, Dewey W. Young; and sister, Flora Moody. Survivors include sons, Rev. Donald Kleeb (wife Paula) of Brandon, MS and Larry Kleeb (wife Rosalie) of Tucson, AZ; daughters, Janet Cheney (husband Pete) and Vicki Nored of Knoxville, TN; and step-daughters, Linda Rhea, Barbara Sherrod (husband Bud), and Jo Roy (husband Kelly) of Knoxville, TN as well as Teresa Bunjan (husband Bob) of St. Louis, MO; in addition to numerous nieces and nephews, 14 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; and her devoted dog, Charlie.

Services will take place on Fri., Feb. 20 at First Baptist Concord with the receiving of friends from 5 until 7 p.m. and a "Celebration of Life" service to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to The Knoxville Center of the Deaf (3731 Martin Mill Pike Knoxville, TN 37920), First Baptist Concord (11704 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37934), and the Sign Language Interpreter Degree Program at Maryville College (Office of Advancement, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy., Maryville, TN 37804). Designate donations specifically for the "Sign Language Interpreter Degree Program."

Maryville College is ideally situated in Maryville, Tenn., between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Knoxville, the state's third largest city. Founded in 1819, it is the 12th oldest institution of higher learning in the South and maintains an affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Known for its academic rigor and its focus on the liberal arts, Maryville is where students come to stretch their minds, stretch themselves and learn how to make a difference in the world. Total enrollment for the fall 2009 semester is 1,103.