From the Holland Sentinel...
Posted Dec 22, 2008 @ 04:32 PM
Holland, MI —
Rex E. Young, age 77, of Holland, died Sunday, December 21, 2008, at Lifecare Hospital in Muskegon.
Rex was a well known performer (clown) for 40 years traveling throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. He was an avid golfer.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Sandra; sisters-in-law, Mrs. William (Vivian) McKnight of Hamilton, OH, Mrs. Kenneth (Adeline) Decker of Holland; several nephews, nieces and cousins.
A memorial service will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, December 29, 2008 at Lakeshore Memorial Services, 11939 James Street in Holland. Reverend Henry Idema will be officiating. Cremation has taken place.
Visitation will be from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, December 28, 2008 at Lakeshore Memorial Services. Memorial contributions may be given to American Heart Association or Grace Episcopal Church. An on-line registry book is available at www.lakeshorememorial .com for those who cannot attend the services.
It would be nice if folks would take a minute to visit the Lakeshore Memorial site and leave a message for Sandy.
"Count De Boxcar" was much loved on the Shrine circuit and a sadly under-appreciated clown during his lifetime. He was inventive, creative and, as a Producing Clown, deserves to be thought of in a league with Paul Jung, Lou Jacobs, Jerry Bangs, Jimmy Douglass and performers of that caliber.
Another important link to American circus clowning's past has been lost.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Sandy and we are deeply sorry for her loss.
2 comments:
Rex was a truely talented and funny performer. I don't think anyone could have taught me more than I learned from him by being his partner for one season. The show owner (Rudy Jacobi) would go out of his way to catch us doing the boxing gag regularly. The car gag was what Rex was known for, however he was inventive and produced many gags, and knew what was funny. Clowning has suffered a loss to the art.
I was blessed to have known Rex since 1998 to the month he passed away. In 1998 he was performing as Boxcar the Clown at a local fair. I took a picture of him and painted a large painting from it. Later I learned the this particular clown actual lived in town so I brought the painting over and gave it to him as a gift. We've been friends ever since. Often going out for lunch at least once a month and sometime his wife Sandy would come along. There he would tell me stories of circus life of a clown and who all he knew. I was hooked on all the tales and we were talking about doing a book on his life but sadly never got around to it. As he would often say, "I don't know where the time all goes." At the funeral they had up on the podium a large picture of him and Sandy as clowns by a circus elephant and the painting I did in 1998. (That kind of choked me up.) I wrote in the guest register that God needed laughter so he sent up a clown. May God bless all the clowns that make the world a happier place.
Post a Comment