born in cypress river, manitoba, young grew up in nearby glenboro, manitoba, where his father, percy andrew young, owned a drug store. his mother was jean ferguson paterson. after his father went broke in 1926, the family moved to winnipeg, but were unable to afford to stay there. his parents separated in 1930, and he went to live with an aunt and uncle in prince albert, saskatchewan, for a year before moving back to winnipeg to live with his mother. he left high school at 16 and began working for a tobacco wholesaler.