February 29, 2004

Father Edward York

Father York was born on Apr. 18, 1916 in Carl Junction, Mo., but was raised in Joplin, Mo. After high school he became a teleprinter operator and while managing the telegraph office in Farmington, Mo., he joined the Catholic Church. Later he decided to become a priest, studied at Conception Seminary, Conception, Mo., and was ordained by Bishop Mark Carroll at Sacred Heart Chapel, Wichita, on June 8, 1947. In his early years in the priesthood he worked in education at St. Mary’s Cathedral High School and at St. Mary’s High School in Pittsburg. After serving as a chaplain in the United States Air Force he was a pastor at Sacred Heart Parish, Fredonia; St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Wichita; and St. Mark’s Parish, St. Mark. From 1974 to 1980 he was chaplain at St. Pius X Newman Center in Pittsburg. His last two assignments as pastor were to St. Francis Xavier Parish in Cherryvale and to St. Martin Parish in Caldwell before he retired in 1994. Father York died on Feb. 29, 2004 in Pittsburg. Reverend Michael M. Simone celebrated his funeral Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Pittsburg.