(From Derfelt Funeral Home)Huey Monroe York passed away on Saturday, February 18, 2023 at his home in Baxter Springs, KS.
Huey was born at 9:20 AM on January 8, 1940, at 525 Ottawa in Baxter Springs, KS to his beloved parents, W.O. (Bill) and Geneva York. Huey was a resident of Baxter Springs until 1952 when his family moved to a small farm in Riverton, Kansas. He graduated from Riverton High School with the Class of 1958.
After attending Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg for two semesters, he started his employment at the Joplin Couples facility, a highlight during his time there was the opportunity to participate as a member of the engineering team that was responsible for the design and manufacturing of the Saturn 5 Spacecraft batteries that sent Apollo 11 to the moon in 1969.
In 1999, 30 years after man first walked on the moon’s surface, York had the opportunity to meet former astronaut Neil Armstrong, a member of Eagle-Picher Technologies, LLC Board of Directors, during a corporate meeting at Shangri-La-Resort.
In 1970, Huey was transferred to an Eagle-Picher startup operation in Seneca, Missouri as manager of marketing and sales to assist in the establishment of a commercial product business segment. During his sales/marketing leadership the startup operation grew from an idea to a multimillion-dollar manufacturer of seal lead acid (SLA) batteries with production facilities in Seneca, Missouri, Grove, Oklahoma and Socorro, New Mexico employing over 300 people. Because of his knowledge of SLA batteries, York was selected to sit on the Industry Advisory Council of Underwriters Laboratories Emergency Lighting and Power Equipment as the sole representative from the SLA battery industry.
In 1993, Huey was employed by Eagle-Picher’s Electro-Optic Materials in Quapaw, Oklahoma as sales manager. In 2006, he retired from Umicore Optical Materials USA who had acquired the EP Quapaw Germanium business unit in 2003. York wanted to remain active part time and became the sales manager for two good friends and formal colleagues, Kevin Reading and Greg Evans, who had purchased the Gallium business unit from Eagle-Picher that later was acquired and became Neo Rare Metals Oklahoma, LLC.
In addition to a busy business career, York took time to be active in his community. He felt it was an honor to represent his hometown and served on the USD 508 Board of Education for 12 years, nine as its president, six years as a city council member and six years as mayor. During his tenue as mayor, he was honored as “Hometown Hero” by the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) of Baxter Springs High School and the “Community Leader of the Year” from the Baxter Springs Chamber of Commerce.
In 1970, Huey was transferred to an Eagle-Picher startup operation in Seneca, Missouri as manager of marketing and sales to assist in the establishment of a commercial product business segment. During his sales/marketing leadership the startup operation grew from an idea to a multimillion-dollar manufacturer of seal lead acid (SLA) batteries with production facilities in Seneca, Missouri, Grove, Oklahoma and Socorro, New Mexico employing over 300 people. Because of his knowledge of SLA batteries, York was selected to sit on the Industry Advisory Council of Underwriters Laboratories Emergency Lighting and Power Equipment as the sole representative from the SLA battery industry.
In 1993, Huey was employed by Eagle-Picher’s Electro-Optic Materials in Quapaw, Oklahoma as sales manager. In 2006, he retired from Umicore Optical Materials USA who had acquired the EP Quapaw Germanium business unit in 2003. York wanted to remain active part time and became the sales manager for two good friends and formal colleagues, Kevin Reading and Greg Evans, who had purchased the Gallium business unit from Eagle-Picher that later was acquired and became Neo Rare Metals Oklahoma, LLC.
In addition to a busy business career, York took time to be active in his community. He felt it was an honor to represent his hometown and served on the USD 508 Board of Education for 12 years, nine as its president, six years as a city council member and six years as mayor. During his tenue as mayor, he was honored as “Hometown Hero” by the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) of Baxter Springs High School and the “Community Leader of the Year” from the Baxter Springs Chamber of Commerce.
York volunteered as a Docent for the Baxter Springs Museum and Heritage Center, was a past president and member of the Cherokee County District 3 Ambulance Board of Trustees, past president of the Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHCSEK) Board of Directors. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Baxter Springs.
He loved KU Jayhawk basketball, KC Royals baseball and KC Chiefs football, but his first love was his family and always took time to be a husband, dad, grandpa and great grandpa. He married Judy Garrett on New Year’s Eve 1964. They raised three wonderful children, Jeff, Heidi Turner (Nathan) of Baxter Springs and Todd (Jenny) of Parkville, MO. Huey was honored with three grandchildren, Tyler Daniel (Ashley) of rural Columbus, Lee York of Kansas City, and Maddie York of Bellingham, WA. Two adorable great grandsons, Wyatt Hugh and Owen Garrett Daniel of rural Columbus.
Huey was preceded in death by his parents, sister Doris Taber and his beloved daughter-in-law Maggie.
Huey has been entrusted to Derfelt’s Baxter Chapel for cremation. Private memorial services will be held at a later date. Online condolences maybe expressed at www.derfeltfuneralhomes.com.
He loved KU Jayhawk basketball, KC Royals baseball and KC Chiefs football, but his first love was his family and always took time to be a husband, dad, grandpa and great grandpa. He married Judy Garrett on New Year’s Eve 1964. They raised three wonderful children, Jeff, Heidi Turner (Nathan) of Baxter Springs and Todd (Jenny) of Parkville, MO. Huey was honored with three grandchildren, Tyler Daniel (Ashley) of rural Columbus, Lee York of Kansas City, and Maddie York of Bellingham, WA. Two adorable great grandsons, Wyatt Hugh and Owen Garrett Daniel of rural Columbus.
Huey was preceded in death by his parents, sister Doris Taber and his beloved daughter-in-law Maggie.
Huey has been entrusted to Derfelt’s Baxter Chapel for cremation. Private memorial services will be held at a later date. Online condolences maybe expressed at www.derfeltfuneralhomes.com.
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