July 11, 1938 – December 11, 2025

John Robert Young, (Bob) of Glenwood Springs, CO, passed away December 11, 2025, after battling several health issues. He was 87.
Bob was born in Kansas in 1938 to Catherine and Telford Young. One of 3 children, he quickly developed a taste for cars and mischief. His parents sacrificed a vacation to send him to a baseball camp in his early years, and this magnanimous gesture resonated with him for his entire life. He would later go on to donate millions of dollars to numerous charities and establish over 300 scholarships. He was named Colorado’s Outstanding Philanthropist in 1995, and in 1997 he was honored as a Western Colorado Philanthroper of the year for his giving to the community. In 2008 he received a major award from the Council for Resource Development for giving to community colleges, including substantially to Colorado Mountain College. To this day Alpine Bank makes philanthropy and community involvement a core tenet of its mission. He was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame in 2011, and in 2023 received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Colorado (AFP Colorado).
He began his banking career in 1961 as a bank examiner for the FDIC. During this time, he traveled to banks in Kansas and Colorado where he ultimately became Executive Vice President of what is now First Banks of Colorado. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to open Roaring Fork Bank in Carbondale in 1973. Expansion quickly grew into locations including Snowmass Village, Basalt, and Glenwood Springs, and these banks are now known as Alpine Bank. Alpine Bank and Trust currently serve 39 communities and employ over 890 employees.
Bob had a lifelong passion for cars and began amateur racing in 1969. He quickly rose through the ranks of racing as well, and was a multi-time class champion representing the Colorado Region of the Sports Car Club of America. He also enjoyed golf, traveling and winter sports like skiing and snowmobiling.
He was a father to 5 (Mark, Margo, Heather, Vicky, Gina),
a grandfather to 5 (Lindsay, Meredith, Parker, Sydney, Tyler), a brother (Larry), a sister (Pat), cousins (Betty, Tom, Bernie and Lusetta) and a life partner (Geny). He lived a large, fulfilling life, and lived it well. He leaves behind a family foundation that will continue his legacy of charitable giving, empowering others and ‘doing unto others as they would do to you’. He was a humble, God-loving man and he will be missed by many.