Dental class of ’95 honors classmate

Fellow students and faculty at the memorial dedication ceremony: Chris Harbour, D.D.S., Sree Koka, D.D.S., Ph.D., Mark Beatty, D.D.S., Doug Haschke, D.D.S. and Curt Kuster, D.D.S. Photo by Peggy Cain.

Though Michael York spent almost four years in dental school, he never graduated with his classmates from the UNMC College of Dentistry Class of ’95. York was a senior dental student when his life was cut short by a brain tumor more than eight years ago. Alumni from the class of ’95 recently held a dedication ceremony to pay tribute to York.

A plaque dedicated in York’s honor now hangs in the student lounge, where donations from the class have added furnishings.

“The loss of Michael will always be felt by his family, his classmates and the college,” said John Reinhardt, D.D.S., dean of the UNMC College of Dentistry. “The Class of ’95 got improvements in the student lounge started because they cared so much about their classmate.

Michael York’s mother, Joy York, attended the dedication ceremony at the UNMC College of Dentistry. Photo by Peggy Cain.

“Huge improvements have been made to the student lounge, which grew from a small project to a very large one. With the class donation and additional donations from private gifts, the student lounge marks a major improvement to our building.”

York, the son of Robert and Joy York, grew up in Lincoln and graduated from Pius X High School. He attended St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., then returned to Lincoln in 1991 to begin dental school at the UNMC College of Dentistry. His father is a 1950 graduate of the college.

Chris Harbour, D.D.S., a classmate and close friend of York, led the memorial effort. “(Mike) was the kind of person that seemed to make a real impact with people,” said Dr. Harbour, class of ’95 senior class president. “He was one of these people that no matter where we went, he was everyone’s instant friend. We’d be standing in line at Taco Bell and he’d be talking to people in line.”

Sherri Cunningham of Lincoln, one of York’s eight siblings, said Dr. Harbour made a difference in the family’s life.

Part of the student lounge that was expanded and equipped with computers. Photo by John Reinhardt, D.D.S.

“Mike and Chris were very supportive of each other and the typical struggles through dental school and trying to raise a family as Chris was,” Cunningham said. “When Mike got really sick the last week, Chris stayed night and day by his bedside. He was right there. It was awesome.

“During the ceremony, Chris and another colleague got up and told funny stories about Mike we’d never heard. It just made the day. It was just perfect that the donation went toward the lounge. Mike would have liked that. We were delighted the class rallied to do this. My mom was so pleased and sentimental at this lovely personal gesture.”

Dr. Harbour, who used to collect vinyl records, recalled how he and York would visit a Lincoln record store. “I’d be in there looking around and of course, what was he doing? He was talking to the person at the cash register,” he said.

“After graduation, when it was obvious Mike was going to pass away soon, I drove back to Nebraska. While I was back, I stopped in the store Mike and I used to go into.”

The cashier remembered York, he said. “At the time, the clerk had been contemplating suicide because of suffering from chronic back pain. He said he changed his mind after Mike spoke with him. He said Mike gave him another perspective on his suffering.

“I think Mike was one of God’s instruments. He had been in seminary school before dental school, but he quit seminary school so he could have a family. He came so close to getting a degree that I felt like there should be some sort of tribute to him.”