Robert Earl York

Robert Earl “Bob” York passed away peacefully on October 15, 2024 after a brief illness. Born in Haver, Montana, he was proud of his Montana roots, with both of his parents born and raised there. When Bob was 5, his family moved to Silver Spring, Maryland, where he starred in basketball and football at Montgomery Blair High School. He was recruited to play football at Virginia Tech and transferred to the University of Pennsylvania in his sophomore year to study architecture. The rigors of the architecture program did not allow his football career to continue as he completed his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Architecture at Penn. His architectural career spanned over 50 years, as project architect, partner, and director of architecture at multiple prestigious firms.

His professional path included significant years spent as a project architect at Mitchell Giurgola, an award winning and world-famous firm; then owning his own practice; moving his family to Arizona for an important job opportunity; and eventually returning to Philadelphia to work at Kling, WRT, Hillier and finally at Jacobs, where he enjoyed developing and heading up their architecture group.

He designed and built a house for his family in Chestnut Hill along the way. He worked on high rises, research and laboratory facilities, office buildings, and higher education campus buildings in Philadelphia; Madison, Wisconsin; Boston; San Francisco; Sweden; Ireland; Italy; University of Arizona and at Montana State University where his own father received his college degree. Bob made lifelong friends everywhere he worked.

In his retirement, he enjoyed playing squash, fly fishing, gardening and cooking.

A loving father and husband, he will be remembered for his kindness, ready smile and positive approach to life. He was never happier than when preparing a meal for his family. He was a true gentleman, who never hesitated to lend a helping hand to family, friends and neighbors. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Kate Cleveland; their sons Ben York (wife Sarah) and Samuel York; 2 children from his previous marriage, Cherie Bowen and Joseph York; and 6 grandchildren. A remembrance was held on November 23, 2024 at Germantown Friends Meeting. Gifts in his memory can be made to AmericanRivers.org.