From racing airplanes to wrangling canines and cruising around on a Harley trike motorcycle, Audrey Young admits to being a bit of a senior thrill seeker. While many still refer to her as, “Willa,” her middle name, her last name seems just as fitting in this case.
Young migrated to the West Coast from Pennsylvania while following her husband's career path as a helicopter pilot. The logging trade brought them down from Washington state and into Yuba City around 1974 where the couple quickly established roots. Fast forward nine years and Young was embarking on a new business endeavor, Tropical Paradise Pet Grooming, a salon for dogs.
“I called it a salon because it was a very unique and fun place to work,” said Young. “I’d always loved dogs and having my own business was something that attracted me.”
A friendship with Lloyd Davies opened up an opportunity for Young to move her salon into the newly built Davies Animal Hospital in Yuba City where it still operates today. Around this same time, Young had started pursuing her lifelong dream of becoming a pilot. She took up lessons at the Sutter County Airport in 1993 and within a year she had obtained her license at the ripe age of 47.
“I flew a V-Tail Bonanza for 25 years, that was our aircraft, but we just sold it last year,” said Young. “We have a little Champ now which is a tailwheel airplane. That one’s low and slow, the Bonanza was high and fast.”
After gaining her license, Young moved on to become one of the founding charter members of the Sutter Buttes Ninety-Nines, a chapter of the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots, also known as The 99’s.
“When I first got my license, my girlfriend and I air raced a Cessna 150 from Santa Monica to Bend Oregon, a two day air race,” said Young excitedly. “That was in ‘Palms to Pines,’ an all women's air race, but you weren't competing against the other pilot, you were racing against your own aircrafts top cruising speed.”
After 18 years, Young left Tropical Paradise to be with her husband at A&P Helicopters. By 2006, they were both fully retired and ready for life's next chapter. Young soon began volunteering at the Sutter Buttes Canine Rescue Thrift Shop in Yuba City and spent 13 years there before the shop closed this past November. Still a groomer at heart, Young continues to volunteer her time at the local animal shelter giving makeovers to pooches in need.
“I just love dogs and if I can help make them look pretty for their next family that's a plus,” added Young.
While her flying days have slowed down quite a bit, Young said she still enjoys giving her friends aerial tours of the Sutter Butte mountain range and volunteering for the Young Eagles flight program through the Experimental Aircraft Association. A Harley Sportster trike motorcycle now occupies a good portion of her time with a fondness for cruising around the local valley.
“I just love anything with a motor,” laughed Young. “I was an avid water skier and my first love was a 16-foot Glastron ski boat that I had back in my 20’s. ... I’ve done some skydiving, I had jet skies, and honestly I think I give my children gray hair.”
