Michael “Mike” Wright York, 84, of Coventry CT died at Windham Hospital, Willimantic, CT on Friday, April 7th, 2023. He was born in Dallas, Texas, September 1, 1938, the son of Russell Hasler York and Avis Wright York.
Mike was a graduate of SMU, Dallas, Texas and earned a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. He was a general medicine and surgical psychologist at the Washington, DC Veterans Hospital and the VA Hospital in Martinsburg, WV before teaching at the University of New Haven from 1970 to 2008.
Michael and Janet moved to Coventry during retirement in 2008 where he enjoyed fishing, gardening, identifying mushrooms, cooking, reading, classical music and Tai Chi classes. He looked forward to visits by his four grandchildren for swimming and fishing. Always a great storyteller, Mike enjoyed entertaining while sharing his love of food with family, friends, students and many others. For many years he and his Psychology students cooked monthly for the Columbus House shelter in New Haven. After the food was served, he insisted his students go out in the dining area and interact with the clients who were staying there for the night. He felt it was important for them to better understand how some people became homeless.
Mike is survived by his wife of 62 years, Janet Chance York, his daughter Kathleen York Skrabacz (Steve), his son Matthew York, and his sister Mary Jane York Sledge of Dallas, Texas. He is also survived by his grandchildren Nathaniel (US Coast Guard), Zachary, Emilia, and Alina Skrabacz of New London, CT, and nieces, and great nieces, and nephews in Texas.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Unitarian Society: East in Manchester, CT Saturday, June 10th at 1 PM. Donations in his memory may be made to American Heart Association or Parkinson Research.
Comments