Edgewater community leader Pauline York (Photo by Lee Stiffler-Meyer)
Edgewater lost one of its most important community pillars over the weekend. Community leader Pauline York passed away over the weekend at the age of 91 years. For over sixty years, Pauline has been an important part of many different facets of our community from parks and recreation, to senior programs, and much more. Many of the great things we have in our Edgewater community now can be connected back to Pauline and her work. To those of us who knew Pauline, it was very apparent that she loved Edgewater and she loved people. You could just see it in her eyes and in her actions.
On September 17, 2019, the City of Edgewater honored Pauline York by naming the drive in front of the Edgewater Civic Center “Pauline York Drive.” On that evening, Edgewater Mayor Laura Keegan read the following statement at the Council meeting honoring Pauline York:
There are so many of reasons that we are honoring Pauline Moreno-York tonight. It’s hard to summarize all of her achievements here. Pauline has been a staple of the Edgewater community since the late 1950’s. She’s never hesitated to approach the Edgewater City Council about any issue affecting our community. She has done so with directness and passion. Between past and current staff and council members, we have a hard time thinking of any public meeting that Pauline hasn’t attended and offered her opinion as a resident.
Pauline served on the Parks and Recreation Board from 1968-1975, serving as chair in 1975. In her spare time she helped initiate programs, events and activities for residents before there was a full time Park and Recreation Department. She also worked to start a senior program for aging residents. She served on the Edgewater Redevelopment Authority from 1983-2008 working to provide needed improvements to our business district.
From 1995-2012 Pauline organized and worked with juveniles doing community service. She was out early on Saturday mornings making sure the juveniles performed their service cleaning alleys. Pauline was named volunteer of the year on August 20, 1998 by Colorado Association of Police Chiefs.
In 2008, Pauline became part of the Recycle Committee to assist the city in the transition to a recycling program. The committee held a once-a-month recycle event where they collected materials for recycling; Pauline attended each and every recycle event to assist and educate the community about recycling.
From 2007-2008, Pauline sat on the Charter Commission that successfully moved the City from strong mayor system to a City Manager system.
Pauline has always promoted the importance of Edgewater’s history. Serving on the Edgewater Historical Commission from 1983-1992, she created a petition to save an older home in Edgewater and to preserve it as a museum—now our historic Orum House. Additionally, she worked with that board to establish two other local historical designations.
Pauline York’s support and dedication to serve the City of Edgewater for the past sixty years are extraordinary. Without the countless hours Pauline has selflessly given to our community, The City of Edgewater would not be where it is right now. With love and pride I say, Tonight the City of Edgewater recognizes Pauline Moreno-York.
2771 Zenobia Street, Denver
Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.
How sad. She was a wonderful person.