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My father
14 July 2007
Otto H. 'Duke' York
27 November 1910 – 12 July 2007
My father passed peacefully, as far as we can tell, at his home probably during the early hours of last Thursday. He was 96. Born of Lithuanian immigrants, my grandmother was reputedly pregnant with my father when she came to America. He always claimed he entered this world at 11:00 on a Sunday because he could hear the church bells ringing when he was born. He had an older brother and sister, but the sole survivor of his immediate family is now his younger sister, my beloved Aunt Florence.
From an extremely penurious background in Gary, Indiana, Dad struggled to secure an education, attend Purdue University and earn a degree in Chemical Engineering. In short, he became the proverbial 'self-made man'. A brilliant scientist and businessman, he founded his own company and, through persistent hard work, diligence, astuteness and sheer determination, he became nothing short of extremely successful. His achievements were tempered by an unhappy marriage and the loss of his second son at the age of 28, but he found joy in being generous to many and being a benefactor to numerous charities and technical institutions. He arrived in London the day I had my viva and was proud at my success, but his greatest pride was to be found through the political achievements of my sister. He also had a special rapport with children and enjoyed in particular his grandchildren Neath Pal, Nyssa York Green, Caleb York Green, Chloë Myrth Dunscombe and Nathaniel John Pyke.
Dad was not necessarily an easy person, but I remain grateful for the educational opportunities he afforded for both my sister and myself. An intensely private person, he was self-sufficient and treasured his independence. He nevertheless managed to touch the lives of many people, and the fondness that many have expressed in knowing him has always been touching. His reputation is worldwide, and he took particular delight when I was able to relate the reaction of several people at a wedding in Mumbai that I was his son. Though we may have heard them more times than we otherwise might have wished, we will miss his stories and the joy he had in relating them.
There will be a wake in my home town of Maplewood, New Jersey at the Holle Funeral Home on Millburn Avenue next Wednesday, the 18th of July between 18:00 and 20:00. A private burial will occur the following morning at the Restland Cemetery in East Hanover, NJ. The memorial service will be at noon (Thursday, the 19th of July) in the Morrow Memorial Methodist Church of Maplewood – to be followed by a buffet reception at Cent'Anni. In lieu of flowers, donations are being requested for the New Jersey Institute of Technology Scholarship Fund, University Heights, Newark, New Jersey 07102 (http://www.njit.edu/).