John E. Yurco
John Edward Yurco, 87, passed away peacefully July 23, 2026, in Auburn, New York, following a brief illness. He was a cherished father, grandfather, brother, friend, companion, and community member.
Born in Auburn on December 30, 1938, John was raised in Skaneateles and graduated from Skaneateles High School in 1957. He later earned a bachelor’s degree from Empire College. For about 30 years, John worked for General Electric as a computer programmer. He started in the early days of information technology, when the computing power of a laptop took up several rooms. He later worked as an independent contractor for the US Navy.
John moved to Throop and then Weedsport, where he and Carol raised their family. After his children were grown, he and Carol moved to Chesapeake, Virginia, for a few years. Upon retirement, they returned to Weedsport to be near their children and grandchildren. Most recently, he had moved to Auburn to be closer to family, activities, and his dear friend Shari Ross.
Outside of his work, John had many interests. He was heavily involved in volunteer work at the churches he attended and was a eucharistic minister. He served on several local community boards and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. In addition, he shared his talents as a musician (oboe and saxophone) for multiple community bands, including Auburn Civic Band, Skaneateles Community Band, and Finger Lakes Woodwind Quintet. He often arranged music for various groups.
John was a volunteer docent at Seward House and relished playing the role of William Seward for special occasions, including appearances at local elementary schools. An enthusiastic boater for many years, he is a former member of Auburn Power Squadron, where he promoted boating safety and served a term as its commander. He was a Sea Scouts leader, mentoring young people through boating in the Explorer Scouts program. As an active volunteer with Boy Scouts of America, he served on the Cayuga County executive council and was awarded the Silver Beaver—the highest honor in Scouting.
John will be dearly missed by his children Joe Yurco, Cherie Yurco, Jim Yurco, and Patrick Yurco and his wife Jessica; grandchildren Sophia Yurco, Sean Penzo, Phineas Penzo, Zachary Yurco, Sydney Yurco, and Samantha Yurco; great-grandchildren Tapangah Becker, Everett Becker, Jamison Grant, and Caterina Grant; companion Shari Ross; siblings Philip Yurco and his wife Meg and Margaret Armstrong and her husband William; nephew Thomas Armstrong; niece Carin Schafer and her husband John; and loyal dog, Maude.
John is predeceased by his loving wife of more than 51 years, 11 months, and three days, Carolyn Marie Yurco; his parents, Marion and Donald Yurco; his grandson, Matthew Becker; and daughter-in-law Julia Yurco.
You may visit with the family during calling hours on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at White Chapel Funeral Home, 197 South St., Auburn. A funeral mass will be held at St. Ann’s Church, Route 38A, Owasco, NY at 10:00 AM on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Donations can be made to the Seward House Museum in John’s name. To offer condolences to the family, please visit whitechapelfh.com. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John E. Yurco, please visit our floral store.