In Memoriam

The Rev. Faith Young Carmichael
1933-2026

COOPERSTOWN – The Rev. Faith Young Carmichael, 93, died peacefully in Cooperstown, New York on Friday, September 11, 2026 with family by her side. She was born in 1933 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She spent her childhood in Washington, D.C., and later in New York City, where she attended The Chapin School. Faith graduated from Radcliffe College at Harvard University, where she enjoyed leading the handbell choir, and received her master’s degree from Yale Divinity School. A devoted minister, she was ordained in 1995 at the First Congregational Church, UCC, in Greenwich, Connecticut, where she lived for many years.

Her ministry spanned a wide range of roles, including co-developer of the broader Spiritual Formation Program at Yale Divinity School, co-director of the Annand Spiritual Formation Program at Yale’s Berkeley Divinity School, pastoral counselor, and retreat leader. Faith enjoyed leading many retreats at Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, New York. She also served as a pastoral counselor at the Blanton Peale Institute in New York City.

Following the events of 9/11, she developed and administered an ecumenical support program for clergy in southwestern Connecticut and the Hartford area. She also served as interim minister at Saugatuck Congregational Church, UCC, in Westport, Connecticut.

In her later years, Faith lived independently in her Cooperstown home, where she stayed remarkably active and embraced life with great enthusiasm. An affiliate member of the First Presbyterian Church in Cooperstown, she preached there several times and led classes, and continued to serve as a chaplain. Music remained central to her life. She taught piano and helped to produce operas and other musical events across Upstate New York. A lifelong learner, Faith took university courses as recently as the summer of 2026.

Faith remained an active supporter of her ancestral community in Van Hornesville, New York throughout her life. She dedicated herself to preserving the legacy of her grandfather, Owen D. Young, co-founder of Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and chairman of General Electric (GE), and her father, Philip Young, who served as chairman of the United States Civil Service Commission and as U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands during the Eisenhower administration.

Above all, Faith loved spending time with her many friends and family, enjoying concerts, reading, and continually learning. Her friends and family kept her young at heart. She is survived by her three children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild, all of whom she loved dearly and who loved her in return.

A private memorial service will be held for family and friends. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to any of the following:

Van Hornesville Community Corporation in Van Hornesville, New York, a nonprofit founded in 1938 by her grandfather, Owen D. Young, to promote the well-being of Van Hornesville and its neighboring communities – www.vhccorp.org/donate

Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, New York, a music festival that Faith loved and attended regularly – glimmerglass.org/get-involved/give

Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut, where she generously devoted her time to students for decades – divinity.yale.edu/giving