Eric C. York

[ Originally published on: Thursday, November 08, 2007 ]

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. -- Eric C. York, 37, of Grand Canyon, formerly of Shelburne, Mass., died unexpectantly on Nov. 2, 2007 at home.

Born May 2, 1970, he was the son of Tony and Launie York of Shelburne.

He was serving as a Wildlife Biologist Human Interaction Park Ranger with the National Park Service at Grand Canyon National Park.

Eric was a 1988 graduate of Mohawk Trail Regional High School, Buckland, and a 1992 graduate of the University of Maine at Orono. He obtained his master's degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Massachusetts, after completing a study of fishers in Massachusetts. He continued his love of the outdoors and wildlife as he headed west to become a part of the California Park Service in southern California. He worked to track, trap and record the data of several wildlife populations, including bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions in southern California, and bear and moose in Alaska.

This career led him to many countries around the world including Nepal, Chile and Pakistan and many states within the U.S., working tirelessly to conserve many wildlife species, focusing mainly on mountain lions.

His great spirit and love of the outdoors took him on many adventures, including parachuting, hunting and fishing in Alaska, Colorado, California, Wyoming, Maine and Massachusetts. He recorded many miles and many hours on behalf of research and conservation efforts around the world. Recently, he had been involved with Felidae Conservation Fund, an organization that focuses on conservation of all cat species.

In addition to his parents, he leaves his sister, Andrea Stoltzfus and her husband Duane of Pennsylvania; his maternal grandmother, Helen Gould of Shelburne; aunts and uncles including Linda and Jim Herrera of Shelburne; Lorraine and David Shippee of Maine; Leonard Gould and Kathi Chagnon of Greenfield; Larry and Karen Gould of Shelburne, Richard and Carolyn Cromack of Colrain and Ed and Marilyn Doner of New York. Also his many cousins and nieces and nephews; his friend, Laurel Klein of California, and many friends and hunting companions.

A funeral service will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Shelburne Congregational Church.

There are no calling hours.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Felidae Conservation Fund, 14 Cove Road, Belvedere, CA 94920, at www.felidaefund.org; The Wildlands Fund, Division of Massachusetts Fish and Wildlife, attention: Julie, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westboro, MA 01581 or Grand Canyon Assoc., attention: Brad Wallace, P.O. Box 399, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023 @GrandCanyon.org.

Smith-Kelleher Funeral Home, Shelburne Falls, is in charge of arrangements.

 

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