Nathaniel F. Young

Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Francis 'Nat' Young USAF (Ret.) (August 11, 1921 - September 6, 2013) was the mayor of the City of Fairfax from 1974 to 1978.

Young was born in Norfolk, Virginia, the son of Nathaniel Peyton Young and the former Sallie Bruckner Montgomery.

Young's family moved to Fairfax in 1923, and he graduated from Fairfax High School in 1939. After high school, Young attended the Virginia Military Institute for two years before enlisting in the United States Army Air Corps in 1942.

During World War II, Young flew as a B-17 co-pilot on 35 missions. After the war, Young attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute before returning to active service in the Air Force in 1947.

On February 25, 1950, Young married Sarah Burem Armstrong, and the couple would have four daughters.

Young recieved his B.S. in Meteorology in 1960 from Florida State University. Returning to Fairfax, Young taught physics and mathematics at Northern Virginia Community College.

Young served two terms on the Fairfax City Council before he, along with Walter L. Stephens, Jr. challenged incumbent mayor George A. Hamill in the 1970 election.

Young returned to the city council in the elections of 1972.

Young defeated Richard A. Rucker for the mayoral seat in the elections of May 7, 1974.

Young's support for separating the city's school system from Fairfax County Public Schools was considered to be the primary reason for his defeat on May 2, 1978, by councilman Fred W. Silverthorne.

After leaving office, Young moved to Pensacola, Florida, and later to Gulf Shores, Alabama. He spent the last year of his life living with his daughters Sarah and Mary in Tallahassee, Florida. He was interred on September 13, 2013 at Barrancas National Cemetery, NAS Pensacola.