Vagios Young, a man of sharp wit, big heart, and even bigger appetite for life, passed away on October 9, 2026, at McLaren Flint Hospital, Michigan. He was 80 years old.

Born on October 22, 1945, in Psarades, Florina, Greece, Vagios carried his roots with pride while building a full and remarkable life in America. He served in the Marines Reserve, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hunter College, CUNY, and went on to earn a Master's Degree in English from the University of Michigan. He had a gift for words and for people, which served him well during his years as a journalist and editor at On the Town magazine in Flint, where he interviewed community members and championed the stories that made the city tick.

But Vagios was never a man of just one world. He was a restaurateur with a deep love of the food industry and haute cuisine, and he even catered PGA events from the Gaslight Inn, a feat that combined his talents for organization, charm, and persuasion. He was, by all accounts, a capable manager and a force to be reckoned with when he set his mind to something.

Those who knew him remember his sense of humor above all. He was always ready to question, challenge, and keep everyone honest. Beneath the teasing was a man of genuine kindness and humanity, sincerely sympathetic to the downtrodden and fiercely loyal to his friends. He loved sports, the thrill of the casino floor, traveling, reading, and simply visiting with the people he cared about. He gave much of himself to both the Flint and Macedonian communities, and he will be missed in each.

Vagios was preceded in death by his parents, Nina and Angelo Young, and his brothers, Lambros Young and Peter Young. He is survived by his sister, Fannia Young, his nieces, Shelia (Mike) Biggs, Ashley Young, his nephew Angelo Young, his great-nephew, Peter Biggs, his great-niece, Jessica Biggs, and best friends Don and Nancy Potter, who will carry his memory and his stories forward.

In keeping with his wishes, cremation has taken place and no service will be held.