After spending many years as the leader of several Greek Orthodox parishes, the Very Rev. David B. Sedor decided he wanted to pursue a doctoral degree, focusing on end-of-life issues.

Father Sedor, 52, was near his goal, but he died before he could reach it. He died Tuesday at UPMC Presbyterian following bypass surgery.

Father Sedor received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Duquesne University. He returned to Duquesne several years ago for a Ph.D. At the time, he served at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Altoona.

His career as an Orthodox priest included stops in Barton, Ohio; Monongahela; Jacobs Creek; Scranton; and Rockford, Ill.

Cindi Ross, a parishioner at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Barton, said Father Sedor left her church years ago, but she still felt a strong connection to him.

"He always had time for you," she said. "He was never in a big hurry to leave."

While he led her parish, Mrs. Ross had four children, including two who were teenagers.

"I spent a lot of time talking to him about my oldest teenage daughter," she said. "He would tell me, 'This, too, shall pass,' and that things would work out. That, of course, turned out to be true."

Mrs. Ross' daughter now has four children of her own.

Father Sedor also served for a time at St. Gregory Orthodox Church in Seaford, Long Island, N.Y.

While there, he helped establish a nursery school, which now has more than 200 students, said Father Edward Pehanich.

"It's producing a good income stream for the parish and is good community outreach," he said.

The Rev. Bill Evansky, of Holy Ghost Orthodox Church in Ambridge, met Father Sedor at Christ the Saviour Orthodox Seminary in Johnstown 27 years ago. They have been friends since.

He said Father Sedor was a good listener, easily approachable and serious about his faith.

"But there wasn't a bone of pretentiousness in him," Father Evansky said.

The two men would spend hours discussing pastoral issues, especially ethics.

One of their common interests, Father Evansky said, is that they both appreciated puns.

"We think the art of punnery today is lost," he said. "We would have everybody groaning all evening with our puns."

Recently, Father Sedor contributed to the first Orthodox study Bible in English. His chapter was on the Book of Micah from the Old Testament, Father Pehanich said.

Father Sedor is survived by his wife, Eileen; daughters Stephanie of New York City and Charissa of West View; his parents, Edward and Josephine Sedor of Johnson City, N.Y.; and a sister, Tamara Sedor of Highland Mills, N.Y.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 302 W. North Ave., North Side. Trisagion prayers will be at 7 p.m. There will be Orthros and Divine Liturgy at 9 a.m. tomorrow, followed by the service.

On Tuesday, there will be a morning visitation at St. Michael's Greek Orthodox Church in Binghamton, N.Y., followed by Divine Liturgy and interment.