York Eggleston Jr.

York Eggleston, Jr. was the third of eight children born December 21,1932 to the late York and Ophelia Eggleston. In his early years, he joined Zion Baptist Church where his parents were members. He was educated in Baltimore City Public School and attended Paul Lawrence Dunbar Senior High School where he was a stellar athlete in many sports. He was elected to the Dunbar Hall of Fame for his outstanding football Skills. In February 1951 he graduated from Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School and entered the United States Marine Corp where he was on the boxing team, played football at Camp Lejeune, and was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant in 1954. York attended Morgan state University and the University of Maryland. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in education. He worked as a science teacher for one yea at Frederick Douglas Senior High School , but his first love was always sports. He accepted a position at Fairmount Hill Vocational High School as a Physical Education Teacher and Coach. He made a significant impact on the students at Fairmount Hill and enhanced the East Baltimore community by starting a football team for the neighborhood youth. The youth he worked with looked up to him, as he provided discipline, structure and a superb work ethic to equip them for their future. York's family will always fondly remember him as a hard worker, firm, but loving, very competitive in the sports of football, boxing, pool, horseshoes and basketball- even in playing jacks and pick-up sticks. He trained his children and youth he worked with “ to be the best that they could be.” He Combined a sense of humor on family camping trips as he taught unity, responsibility and survival skills. He was also an entrepreneur who owned several houses in the city. Using these houses, he put his sons, grandson and nephews to work, training and teaching them skills and instilling in them a commitment to excellence. He leaves to cherish his memory, his loving and devoted wife, Bessie Eggleston; sons, Francis Thomas, Melvin Eggleston and York Eggleston; daughters, Deborah Wilson, Yolanda Grain and Shanta Church; son-in-law, Malcolm Grain; daughter-in-law, Mary Eggleston; brothers, Joseph Eggleston, George Eggleston and Robert Eggleston; sisters-in-law, Betty Eggleston, Alice Redd, Katherine Autry, and Regina Autry; brothers-in-law, James Autry and Jerome Redd; Godson, Pastor Charles Brooks; 14 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends. Preceding him in death are his sisters, Bertina White; Louise Mitchell and Ruth Kelly; and his brother, Willie Eggleston.

Tributes

York Eggleston Jr.

December 21, 1932 - February 4, 2013