Memorable Manitobans: Helen Lillian Granger Young (1922-2023)

Artist, sculptor.

Born at Mimico, Ontario on 1 November 1922, daughter of Martha Lillian Shelley and Lewis Elmer Northgrave Granger, as a child she won a scholarship to the Ontario College of Art where she studied under Charles Fraser Comfort, Franklin Carmichael, and Fred S. Haines. She worked as a sculptor (in porcelain and later bronze) and artist, doing commercial work for Eaton's and Hudson's Bay stores, and was an art instructor. During the Second World War, she produced technical drawings of military equipment.

On 26 July 1949, she married William Allan “Bill” Young (1925-2003) at Winnipeg and they had four children. She continued to create, teach, and mentor art. In recognition of her community service, she was inducted into the Order of Manitoba (2013) and received a YWCA Women of Distinction Award (2013). She was selected as a Manitoba Women Trailblazer (2021).

She died at the Grace Hospital on 7 April 2023.

Some of her sculpting works in Manitoba included:

Sculpture	Location	Year
Women’s Tri-Service Monument	Memorial Park, Winnipeg	1976
First Flight Monument	Memorial Park, Winnipeg	1984
Bruce Chown	Winnipeg Citizens Hall of Fame	1988
Dufferin Roblin	Winnipeg Citizens Hall of Fame	1992
Geraldine MacNamara	Winnipeg Citizens Hall of Fame	1997
Nellie McClung	Winnipeg Citizens Hall of Fame	1998
Israel Asper	Winnipeg Citizens Hall of Fame	1999
Donald Ian MacDonald	Winnipeg Citizens Hall of Fame	2002
Edward Lancaster Drewry	Winnipeg Citizens Hall of Fame	2005
Famous Five Monument	Osborne Street, Winnipeg	2010
Prairie Sailor Monument	51 Smith Street, Winnipeg	2014

Sources:

Obituary [William Allan Young], Winnipeg Free Press, 9 April 2003.

“Kudos for outstanding work,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 May 2013, page 2.

Helen Granger Young, Canadian Women Artists History Initiative.

Helen Granger Young O.M., A.O.C.A., The Nellie McClung Foundation.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 15 April 2023.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 5 December 2024

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Browse deaths occurring in: 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!