Jim York’s interest in the military began as a young boy during World War II. He spent the war years wearing Army fatigues, Navy dungarees, and an Army Air Corps bomber jacket. His hero was G.I. Joe. Those formative years stayed with Jim and influenced his decision to attend West Point and later to a dedicated life of service to country and others.
James Joseph “Jim” York was born on July 26, 1938 to James and Anita York. Jim, called Jimmy Joe by family and friends, and later simply JJ, grew up in Fallon, NV, a small farming and ranching community near the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Growing up, Jim never shied away from hard work. Early each morning, prior to school, Jim, and his younger brother Ray, worked on their father’s dairy farm doing various chores and delivering milk to local businesses and townsfolk. Jim also helped to maintain the local Catholic cemetery and during summer months worked for local contractors paving county roads. Jim enjoyed the outdoors. Growing up, he had his own horse and loved riding it in the hills around Fallon, hunting and fishing.
Jim attended Churchill County High School in Fallon. He excelled academically, graduating as class valedictorian and being elected senior class president. He also played on the school’s varsity football team, earning Nevada All-State football team honors.
Jim entered West Point on July 3, 1956. After completing Beast Barracks, Jim was assigned to Company G-2, in the Lost Fifties area. He did well academically and participated in various extracurricular activities. Jim was a member of the Debate Council and Forum and the Spanish Club. He also joined the Outdoor Sportsman, Pistol, and Skeet clubs, interests he formed back in Nevada. On occasion, his love of the outdoors got the best of him, as when he admitted to shooting arrows from his room window at animals in the woods behind the barracks.
Jim graduated from West Point in June 1960 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Artillery. He attended the Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, OK and earned his Airborne Wings and Ranger Tab at Fort Benning, GA. Shortly after, Jim volunteered for and was accepted into the Special Forces, one of the first in the Class of ’60 to do so. Following training at Fort Bragg, NC, Jim was assigned to the 6th Special Forces Group in Panama. Jim’s joining the Special Forces proved serendipitous because it was on a SF mission in 1962 that Jim met Mary Guitterez from Santa Cruz, Bolivia. It was not long after meeting each other and a whirlwind courtship that Jim and Mary were married, beginning a loving and caring lifetime together with their two sons: Michael, born in 1965, and Mark, born in 1967.
The family spent the next 24 years at various Army posts in the United States and in Germany, interrupted by Jim’s two tours to Vietnam. During those Army years, Jim’s assignments included the Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, AL and various staff assignments at the Pentagon, TRADOC and USAEUR Headquarters in Germany. He also obtained a political science master’s degree from Auburn University. But of all his assignments, Jim was most proud of being an artillery battalion commander at Fort Stewart, GA. He enjoyed leading soldiers and did his best to make sure the troops were properly cared for and well trained. Later in life, Jim looked back on his Army years with fondness, saying that what kept him going was his wife Mary’s love and loyalty. According to Jim, she provided him with “spiritual direction and made their home a sanctuary,” a safe haven from life’s difficulties.
In 1986, Jim retired from the Army at the rank of colonel. Retirement provided Jim with the opportunity to do something he had dreamed of from childhood. He always had an interest in building things, so Jim started his own home building and remodeling company, All American Enterprises. For the next 17 years, the company prospered by providing customers with high quality work. Additionally, Jim’s company participated in various local community efforts to rehabilitate and renovate housing for families in need. Jim felt strongly about helping others. One of Jim’s last projects was building his and Mary’s dream home in Williamsburg, VA. In 2003, after their new home was completed, Jim again retired.
The “second” retirement allowed Jim to devote more time to family and to enjoy old interests. He got back to hunting and fishing, especially with his sons Michael and Mark, and to the enjoyment of his eight grandchildren: Mark’s children Lexi and Sydney; Michael’s children Tiffany, Amanda, Kyle, Jonathan, Austin and Larissa. At Mary’s insistence, Jim also took up line dancing, a passion of Mary’s. Reluctant at first but determined to please Mary, Jim donned his old cowboy hat and boots and joined her on the dance floor. Once there, Jim and Mary spent many enjoyable evenings dancing with friends.
On August 13, 2013, Jim passed away at his home in Williamsburg. Jim was buried at Arlington Cemetery on October 25, 2013, surrounded by family, friends, and West Point classmates. His son Michael said that the family will always remember him as a loving father and husband. Be Thou at Peace JJ.
— Family and classmates