Steven Arthur York

Steven Arthur York, 71, husband of 48 years to Barbara Hansen York, passed away Thursday, August 28, 2025. He was born in Santa Monica, California on November 25, 1953. At the age of 5, he moved to Chicago, which he would go on to make his home for many years and the place he would be most associated with for the rest of his life by those who knew him. His love of the Chicago Blackhawks, Bears, and Cubs would carry on not only to the next generation but also to his grandkids to this day. Steve and Barb met and married in Chicago and would eventually move to Lexington, where they planted their roots and started a family.

Steve's accomplishments in life were many. He helped develop the University of Kentucky's first club hockey team, the "Cool Cats," and he later served as the public address announcer at their games for many years. He also developed Lafayette High School's first hockey team and served as its first coach. He was a baseball umpire around the city of Lexington for 13 years. He was most closely associated with the South Lexington league, and the Umpire of the Year award presented by the league annually is named in his honor. Even during his years of blindness, he went on to teach developing umpires with his aptly named Blind & Blue Umpire School. He also served as a hockey referee for 5 years.

Steve was especially proud of and enjoyed inspiring younger generations. He served as a volunteer at Jesse Clark Middle School for 17 years, during which he was a mentor to youth who sometimes just needed another ear to hear them and voice to guide them. For his efforts during this time, he received the Fayette County Public School Volunteer of the Year award in 2006 as well as the Red Cross Hero of the Year award in 2017, one of the highest honors presented by the Red Cross at the local level.

More than anything else, Steve was proud of and loved his family. In addition to his wife, Barb, those left to cherish his memory include his daughter, Catherine (Clint) Combs; son, Matt (Elizabeth) York; sister, Julie McGuire; and grandchildren, Caroline York, Camden Combs, Theodore York, Collins Combs and Frederic York.

To honor the life of “the Blind Guy,” a gathering for family and friends will be held Friday, September 5, 2025 from 4-7pm at Clark Legacy Center, Brannon Crossing.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lexington Humane Society.