Paul Durkin, born October 8, 1931 in Pittsburgh PA to Josephine Pauley and Harry Durkin died peacefully at his home in Leesburg on June 18, 2009. Paul attended St. Fidelis Seminary and St Vincent College. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in June 1957. After serving seven years of parish assignments for the Diocese, Paul volunteered as a Navy Chaplain in 1964. He served stateside at NAS in Memphis, TN, the Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland, CA and Quantico, VA, as well as in Guam, Danang, and in the Gulf of Tonkin aboard the USS Hancock. Following Paul's years in the Navy, he was employed at Defense Mapping Agency in Bethesda, retiring from there in 1996.

Having lived all over the world, Paul and his wife, Bernadette, settled in Leesburg in 1974 and began their family. Paul was active in community and church organizations, including Rotary International, Leadership Loudoun, Loudoun Volunteer Association, Friends of Loudoun Mental Health, Loudoun Symphony, Master Singers of Virginia, St Francis de Sales Parish Council and Eucharistic Ministry.

Paul was a gentle giant, being strong for his family and friends by supporting their dreams and believing in their future. He loved sports, especially the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the past he was an avid golfer. He coached soccer, baseball, basketball and Odyssey of the Mind. He enthusiastically attended the Woodward Cruise of Classic Cars in Detroit, riding in his son's restored Blazer and the VW BugOut in Manassas with his daughter's restored Karmann Ghia. He loved to travel and meditate while surrounded by nature as time permitted, usually daily.

Paul is survived by his wife and two children, Jedidiah of Pontiac, MI and Josephine (Brendan Van Voris) of Greenville, TX. The family will be accepting friends and family at Colonial Funeral Home of Leesburg at 201 Edwards Ferry Road NE, Leesburg, VA on Monday, June 22nd, from 5pm to 7pm and will have memorial time from 7pm to 8pm.

A Mass of Catholic Burial will be celebrated at Fort Myer Chapel, Arlington, VA, on October 28, 2009 at 12:45 p.m. followed by Burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

Paul requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Friends of Loudoun Mental Health at P.O. Box 4452, Leesburg VA 20177 (www.loudounfriends.org) and Loudoun Club 12 at PO Box 506, Leesburg VA 20178.