James Hamill McGhee

James “Jim” Hamill McGhee, age 89, of York, PA, passed away peacefully in his home on February 15th, 2024. Often known to his students as Uncle Hamish, he taught for over fifty years, instructing on text performance, communications, literature, the history of English as a language, philosophy, theatre, and English as a Second Language. Over the course of his beloved life, he was a brandisher of language and published numerous collections of poetry and various scholarly works. He worked to develop and head the Theatre Program at York College of Pennsylvania, where he taught for over thirty years. Ever the athlete, he loved to work out in the Grumbacher Gym well into his eighties. His work in academia was passionate, but his home was his true life’s blood. He loved his wife of thirty-eight years, Kirstin, unconditionally, fully, and with rhapsodical joy and took great pleasure in telling anyone who would listen about the accomplishments of his three red-headed daughters, India, Kieran, and Lillia.

He is survived by his wife, Kirstin, his four daughters, Elena, India, Kieran, and Lillia, and his grandson, Jason McGhee, and family.

Upon Jim’s request, there will be no service or memorial. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the United Way of York County, an organization through which Jim taught English as a Second Language, a job that he took very seriously and loved dearly, despite the confounding computer system.

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