Denison York

November 5, 1931 - December 28, 2024

Denny, age 93, passed away peacefully at home in Fullerton surrounded by his family. Denny was born to Willard and Margaret York in Long Beach, California. His childhood was spent having adventures with his older brother, Van, and cousins, Bruce and Marilyn, which included camping in La Canada and spending time at the beach in Laguna. He graduated from South Pasadena High School and the University of Colorado at Boulder where he studied Chemical Engineering. Denny was a member of the ROTC and after graduation he served in the United States Army Corps of Engineers in Korea and as part of NATO in Darmstadt, Germany. This is where he met the woman with whom he would spend the next 63 years, Audrey Whittick, who was working as a reporter for the Stars and Stripes. Denny and Audrey married in 1960 near Kingston on Thames, England.

Once he and Audrey returned home to Southern California, Denny worked as an Engineer at various companies before founding Claymore Engineering. He was registered in chemical, mechanical, and safety engineering and specialized in air pollution control. He worked closely with the California Air Quality Management District to clean pollutants out of the air, making it safer for all of us to breathe. When Denny retired, he decided to start doing more of the things he always wanted to do. This included writing short stories, crewing for a hot air balloon, traveling with Audrey, chasing total solar eclipses, and hiking and backpacking with his daughters in the local mountains. He was an avid reader and lifetime lover of books. Denny was a devoted sports fan and loved watching college football, professional football, and going to Dodger and Angel games with his son. Denny also loved swimming in his pool and spending time with his family.

Those left to cherish his memory are his spouse, Audrey; daughters Catherine York, Jean (Adrian) Metter, and Clare (Aaron Peets) York; his son, Robert (Cassie) York; two grandchildren; and numerous friends and a large extended family.

Family and friends will dearly miss our dad. His family was his pride and joy and his greatest role in his life was being a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He will be fondly remembered for his wonderful dry sense of humor and always being a person you could count on who did not hesitate to help those in need.

McAuley and Wallace Mortuary