Vincent Stanley Yokabaskas

Vincent Stanley Yokabaskas passed away on Sunday, April 13, 2014 at MeadowBrook of Granby, CT, following a long illness. He was born on May 17, 1929 to Victoria Babonas and Stanley Yokabaskas and grew up in Bloomfield, CT, where the basketball records that he set while a student at Bloomfield High School still stand to this day. He attended the University of Connecticut on a basketball scholarship, became the school's first ever 1000 point scorer, and was a member of the All-New England first team and All-Yankee Conference first team from 1949-1952. "Yogi" led UConn to its first NCAA bid in 1951 at Madison Square Garden; a game that he still fondly cites as "the most exciting day of my life". He is an inaugural member of the Huskies of Honor and his #22 UConn jersey was officially retired in a ceremony at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, CT on February 5, 2007. He was one of nine forwards named to the 25-member UConn Basketball All-Century team and was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009. After his time at college, he served as a First Lieutenant in the US Army during the Korean War and then went on to work for Hamilton Standard, Kaman Aircraft, and the East Granby Machine Company. He was also an honorary recipient of the University of Connecticut's Red O'Neill Award for distinguished life achievement. When not at his longtime home in Simsbury, CT, Vinny could always be found at his beloved "Lochnest" cottage on Cape Cod, MA. He loved competition in all sports, and in addition to "friendly" games of hoops with his children and grandchildren, loved to surf, ski, and play tennis. He is survived by the love of his life and wife of 62 years, Alice Crowther Mackenzie, his five children: Vincent of Canton, CT, Robert and his wife Susan of Cape Elizabeth, ME, Carol of East Hartland, CT, Richard and his wife Barbara of Weston, FL, and John and his wife Mary of Bristol, ME, his seven grandchildren: Lauren, Robert, James, Jonathan, Alice, Emily, and Shayna, and his two sisters: Loretta and Victoria of Simsbury, CT. A memorial service in his honor will be held at the Vincent Funeral Home, 880 Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury, CT on Sunday, April 27th at 3:00 PM with calling hours prior, beginning at 1:30 PM.In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please send memorial contributions to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS, 66675. Please visit his "Book of Memories" at www.vincentfuneralhome.com for online condolences.