The Rev. Peter Reese Doyle (Seabury Western Class of 1957), died on January 2, 2024. Born in Pensacola, Florida on May 13, 1930, his father was a naval aviator, and the family moved often between Annapolis, Norfolk, Washington DC, Coronado, California, and Pensacola.

Doyle graduated from Washington and Lee University in 1954 and felt God’s calling to ministry in the Episcopal Church. He met his wife-to-be Sally Ann Jackson in Williamsburg, Virginia in professional theater: she was a dancer and he an actor – they were married in 1955. In 1957, Peter graduated from Seabury Western Theological Seminary, and he and Sally Ann then served as missionaries in Liberia, West Africa for several years. After doctoral studies in theology in Basel, Switzerland, where their son Jonathan was born, they returned to the United States and served in pastoral ministry in Leesburg, Virginia, where their daughter Susan was born.

After teaching briefly in a seminary in Lexington, Kentucky, Doyle returned to pastoral ministry in South Carolina. In 1972, he joined the Presbyterian church and became involved in the group that founded the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) at Briarwood in Birmingham, Alabama. He served PCA churches in Birmingham, Auburn, Nashville and Opelika. At his daughter’s insistence, he wrote two series of adventure stories and historical novels for young readers, available at www.doyleadventures.com. Doyle became deeply involved in campus ministries at Auburn University and continued this work after his retirement. His friendly and cheerful personality encouraged his many friends and congregants.

Doyle is survived by his son, Jonathan and his wife, Kristin; his daughter, Susan and her husband, Kevin Purvis; grandchildren, Frances Chan and her husband, Joe, Constance Bleeker and her husband, Maxim, together with their son, Oleg; Edward Doyle, Alexandra, Purvis – Smith and her husband, Josh, and Ransom Purvis. Peter was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Sally Ann, and by his great-granddaughter, Lucy Bleeker.

A memorial service was held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Opelika, AL, on Saturday, January 13, 2024.

From an obituary published by The Opelika-Auburn News on Jan. 10, 2024.