Bert York Obituary

Former La Plata County resident the Rev. Bert Roger York died in Joplin, Mo., on Wednesday, July 22, 2009. He was 90.

Mr. York was born to Henry and Beatrice York in Stuart, Okla., on March 14, 1919. He served as an auto mechanic during World War II.

On September 3, 1939, he married Juanita Ross in Hodenville, Okla.

Mr. York attended Cameron College in Lawton, Okla., and graduated from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

For the rest of his life, more than 60 years, he was a Southern Baptist minister.

He was a pastor of churches in Oklahoma, California and Colorado, and for a time was a missionary to Native Americans. Mr. York was a minister at Ignacio First Baptist Church and an interim pastor twice at the First Baptist Church of Durango. For five years, he preached somewhere in La Plata County every Sunday.

"Bert had a special gift for beginning, developing and expanding the work in new or struggling communities," his family wrote. "Under his leadership, great churches were born. As they expanded, a number of ministers and church leaders were developed."

His family said Mr. York had a good sense of humor and loved God, his family and his country. He could solve problems and find a way to "fix" anything. He enjoyed fishing, traveling and working in his yard.

Mr. York is survived by his wife of almost 70 years, Juanita York, of Webb City, Mo.; daughters Sue York of Carthage, Mo., and Judy Worley of Joplin; five grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 25, 2009, at Forest Park Baptist Church in Missouri.

Mr. York's son-in-law, the Rev. Bob Worley, and grandsons-in-law the Revs. Steve Gray and Bruce Salsman will officiate.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 6 p.m. today, July 24, 2009, at the Simpson Funeral Home in Webb City.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Forest Park Baptist Church Building Fund.