By Lou Baldwin • Posted January 14, 2016

Father David A. Doyne, 86, pastor emeritus of Holy Martyrs Parish in Oreland, died Jan. 9.

Born in Philadelphia the son of the late Edward T. and Cecelia C. (Kline) Doyne, he attended Most Precious Blood of Our Lord School in North Philadelphia and Roman Catholic High School before entering St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.

He was ordained May 10, 1956 at Immaculate Conception Church in Germantown, Philadelphia, by Archbishop John F. O’Hara and his first assignment was as parochial vicar at St. Mary Parish, St. Clair.

He also served at St. Bernard, Easton; St. Helena, Center Square and Resurrection of Our Lord, Chester.

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He also served on the faculty of St. Pius X High School, a chaplain at St. Francis Country House, (Now St. Francis Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare), Darby, and rector of Villa St. Joseph, Darby.

Father Doyne was named pastor of St. Ann Parish, Phoenixville, in 1989 and pastor of Holy Martyrs in 1996, where he served until 1998 when he was named pastor emeritus. He was also a senior priest at St. Stanislaus, Lansdale.

Father Leo Oswald knew Father Doyne for years, first at Resurrection Parish and again at St. Ann.

“He was interesting, very well read and a renaissance man; music was his forte,” Father Oswald said. In ministry, “he was attentive to the sick, especially in hospital outreach.”

Doris Duncheskie, outreach coordinator and parish nurse at Holy Martyrs, remembers Father Doyne as “a fine priest, very pleasant,” she said. “He was a liturgical person and it was important to him, he tried to bring it up to date.”

In her parish work she dealt with bereaved families, and Father Doyne was very helpful in this.

Yet his time at Holy Martyrs was relatively short. How will people best remember him? “They will remember him with his dog, he loved that dog,” Duncheskie said.

Father Joseph Shenosky got to know Father Doyne while he was a senior priest at St. Stanislaus. He also considered him a renaissance man, because his diverse interests and general knowledge of culture, the arts and literature.

“He was a gifted musician and he even made his own vestments and they were beautiful,” Father Shenosky said. “He was a joyful man and loved being a priest. He was faithful to his prayers, always helpful in confessions and faithfully visited the home-bound, the nursing homes and the hospitals. He was a wonderful example of a priest.”

Father Doyne’s funeral Mass was celebrated Jan. 13 at St. Francis Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare by Bishop John J. McIntyre. Concelebrants included Msgrs. William A. Dombrow and Daniel J. Sullivan and Father Shenosky, who was the homilist.

Father Doyne is survived by nieces and nephews.

Interment was at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Philadelphia.