Jenn was born in Salt Lake City (SLC) on December 13, 1967, to Wayne Sanford Young and Louise Goodworth Young. She lived in Poughkeepsie, NY, until she was nine years old. In 1977, Jenn moved with her family from New York to Gilroy, CA, where she lived until she graduated from Gilroy High School in 1986. Jenn attended Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, UT, before serving eighteen months as a full-time volunteer missionary in the Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or “Mormon” Church). She returned to BYU after her mission and graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and a minor in Outdoor Recreation. Jenn met David Bayles in January of 1993, and the two were married in December in the Oakland California Temple of the LDS Church. During their marriage, Jenn pursued a Masters degree at the University of Utah in Recreation Therapy while the couple lived in Salt Lake City from 1997 to April 1998. In the summer of 1998, the couple returned to live in Provo and Jenn gave birth to Mitchell Young Bayles in August. The family moved to Henefer, UT, in 2000 and Jenn gave birth to Zachary Calvin Bayles in January 2001. The family moved to La Crescenta, California, about one month later.
Jenn was diagnosed with GIST in 2002. She fought the cancer bravely, enduring numerous surgeries and chemotherapies, including until very recently. Nevertheless, Jenn served La Crescenta Elementary School, where Mitchell and Zachary still attend, and the LDS Church, continuously and faithfully throughout her fight against cancer. In February 2008, Jenn received an Honorary Service Award from the La Crescenta Elementary PTA for her help in the classroom, with the school Foundation, the book fair, and for leading the “Meet the Masters” art program. During her tenure in the art program, Jenn led numerous assemblies for the student body wearing costumes related to the artist or subject art work and dedicated countless hours instructing the docents and preparing materials for the projects. Jenn always served in the Church as a “visiting teacher” and, in addition, accepted every “call to serve,” including as the advisor to the 16-18 year old young women’s group under two different presidents, as a girl’s camp counselor, as a Cub Scout Den and Webelos leader and also in the church “nursery.” Jenn showed us it is possible to serve faithfully while suffering life’s hardships gracefully.
Jenn is survived by David, Mitch and Zach Bayles, of La Crescenta, parents Wayne and Louise Young and grandmother Leda Young (born January of 1910) all of Gilroy, CA, sister Suzanne Aughenbaugh (Mark) of Hawaii, sisters Rachel Riley (David) and Deborah Hart (Ben), brothers Stephen (Patty), Darroll (Shara), and Mark (Brittny) all of Utah, sister Rebecca Amesbury (Brian) of Spokane, Washington, her in-laws Calvin and Marilyn Bayles and their family (pretty much all) of La Crescenta, and 40+ adoring “Young” and “Bayles” nieces and nephews.
