York, Michael W.

Michael "Mike" Wright York, 84, of Coventry, CT, husband of Janet (Chance) York died on Friday, April 7th, 2023 at Windham Hospital. 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. Mike met Janet during undergraduate school at SMU and they married in 1960. They moved from Dallas, TX to College Park, Maryland to Martinsburg, WV, to Morgantown, WV, to East Haven, then Hamden, then to Coventry, CT during his college, graduate, then his professional career and retirement. In Coventry he enjoyed fishing, gardening, identifying mushrooms, cooking, reading, listening to classical music and practicing Tai Chi. 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 by having conversations with them. Mike is survived by Janet, his wife of 62 years, his daughter Kathleen York Skrabacz (Steve ), his son Matthew York, and his sister Mary Jane York Sledge of Dallas, Texas. He leaves behind his grandchildren Nathaniel (US Coast Guard), Zachary, Emilia, and Alina Skrabacz of New London, CT and nieces, great nieces and nephews in Texas. The family would like to thank Benjamin Mensah for his help the past three years. To share condolences with his family, please visit www. brooklawnfuneralhome.com.