Daniel Joseph Loya

Reverend Father Daniel Joseph Loya, age 81, a descendent of over a thousand year history of priestly families, fell asleep in the Lord on Friday, June 10, 2022 as his home. Born in Windber, PA, he was the thirteenth of seventeen children born of Margaret Boksay and Very Reverend Stephen Loya, translator of many books used in the Byzantine Catholic Church, Father Daniel considered 13 a blessed number.

He was schooled at Holly Name Elementary School, Duquesne, Pa; St. Fidellis High School, Herman, Pa; Duquesne University and SS. Cyril & Methodius Seminary, both in Pittsburgh, PA.

Ordained for the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh by Bishop Nicholas T. Elko in 1966, he served in the Pennsylvania parishes of Brownsville, Duquesne, Windber, East Pittsburgh, and Wall; Youngstown and Pleasant City, Ohio; Morgantown, West Virginia.

Upon retirement, he lived on the family country home in Dawson, Pa which he called his Mt. Athos. He was able to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the domestic chapel there, and he enjoyed maintaining the grounds as he did during years of active ministry.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by three sisters: two of whom died at birth and Mary Najeski; eight brothers: Frank, Paul, Rev. John, Joseph, Michael T., Stephen, Eugene, Theodore.

He is survived by two brothers: Andrew of Dawson, Lawrence (Bernadette) of Florida; three sisters: Helen Hvasta of Florida, Anna Jane (Thomas) Petty of New Jersey, Kathleen (Robert) Killian of Ohio; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins in the States and in Europe.

Father Daniel will lay in state at St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church, 102 Railroad Street, Perryopolis, PA on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 from 2- 7 p.m. A Priestly Parastas will be celebrated at 7 p.m. A Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Thursday in St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church by the Very Reverend Andrew Deskevich as celebrant. Interment will follow in the family plot at Mount Saint Macrina Cemetery, Uniontown, PA.

The Blair Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, Perryopolis, Pa has been entrusted with Father Dan’s professional funeral arrangements.

Eternal rest grant to your servant Daniel, O Lord, and make his memory eternal.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Daniel Joseph Loya, please visit our floral store.