Oliver L. York, 85, of Springfield, Illinois, passed away on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at Springfield Memorial Hospital with his family by his side.
Oliver was born on January 15, 1941, in Crittenden County, Kentucky, to the late Oliver Noel York and Anna Mae York. He married his high school sweetheart, Verna L. York, and they shared 67 years of marriage. Oliver took great pride in being a husband, father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather, and uncle.
At just 14, Oliver began delivering ice to help support his family. He went on to drive a bread truck and work for UPS before starting Oliver York Construction Management, where he built custom homes and commercial properties. He finished his working years with a brief tenure at P&L Railway. His faith was an important part of his life, and he was a beloved member of First Baptist Church of Benton, where he served as a deacon.
Oliver loved his home state of Kentucky. He grew up in Crittenden County and raised his family in Lone Oak. He and Verna then moved to Kentucky Lake, where they lived for 25 years before moving to Springfield, Illinois.
To his family, Oliver was Granddaddy, a gentle giant whose strength was matched by his tenderness. He showed them what unconditional love looked like through the way he cared for them and served others without expecting anything in return. By his example of faithfulness, he taught them to be strong through hard times, to take pride in their work, to take initiative, and to care for what God had blessed them with.
Oliver is survived by his wife, Verna L. York (Cedarhurst Memory Care in Springfield, IL), and his daughter, Tamiko Kinkade (Mark), both of Springfield, Illinois, as well as Carol York Hopkins (Ray) of Kevil, Kentucky. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Alex Ross Kinkade (Jaclyn) of St. Louis, Missouri, Scott Douglas Kinkade (Taylor) of Springfield, Illinois, and Emery Mason Campbell of Springfield, Tennessee. His three great-grandchildren are Harrison, Elliott, and Sophie Kinkade. Other survivors include his nephews, Noel Chadwick Newcom and Shanahan “Shan” Ross Newcom (Angela) of Hickory, Kentucky, and one great-niece, Noelle.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Tamera K. Worrell (Campbell), and his sister, Marcia James Beyer.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations in Oliver’s honor to Centerpoint Recovery Center for Men (530 County Park Rd., Paducah, KY 42002) or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741).
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, November 16, 2026, at Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah with Pastor Jeff Nelsen officiating. Burial will follow at Mapleview Cemetery in Marion, Kentucky.
Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 15, 2026, and from 10:00 a.m. until the service begins on Monday.
Share a memory or leave a message for the family at www.milnerandorr.com.
