Rev. Paul Leonard Forsythe, 74, a well-known St. Petersburg, Clarion County, resident and retired pastor, went to be with the Lord early Monday morning at Clarview Nursing Home in Sligo.

He was born in Sigel on March 17, 1943.

He was the son of the late Claude and Mildred Cox Forsythe.

He attended Union High School and later earned his GED. He was retired after 32 years of service as a heavy equipment operator with C&K Coal.

He was a devoted Christian and taught Sunday school at the Leesburg Church of God of Prophecy. Later, he was pastor at the Church of God of Prophecy in Rimersburg.

He enjoyed attending many of the Church of God of Prophecy church services and Sunday school. He liked yardwork, music, and spending time with his family.

He was a longtime member of the St. Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department and had served the department as fire chief for a number of years. He was also a councilman for St. Petersburg Borough for many years.

In his last years, he enjoyed witnessing to his fellow residents at Clarview and enjoyed attending the various musical festivities there.

He is survived by his wife, Jennie Smith Forsythe, whom he married in Fairview on Nov. 11, 1962. Also surviving are four children, DeeLynn Foust of St. Petersburg, Marty (Holly) Forsythe of St. Petersburg, Brian Forsythe of Butler and Kirby Forsythe of St. Petersburg; four grandchildren, Andrew, Chasity, Alex and Wesley; two great-grandsons, Zaden and Gavin; two brothers, Lonnie Forsythe of Eau Claire and Bruce Forsythe of Sligo; three sisters, Faye Best of New Bethlehem, Judy Myers of Tionesta and Karen Schrecengost of Erie; as well as a number of nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

In addition to his parents, Paul was preceded in death by a grandson, Spencer Foust; four brothers, Kenneth, Robert, Larry, and Roland; and two sisters, Sharon Forsythe and Dorothy Ferrari.

FORSYTHE — Friends of the Rev. Paul Leonard Forsythe who died Monday, June 5, 2017, will be received 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Hile Funeral Home, 802 Grove St., St. Petersburg.A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday from the St. Petersburg United Methodist Church with the Rev. Carl Best, a lay pastor and Paul's longtime friend, officiating.Interment will follow in St. Petersburg Cemetery.Memorial contributions may be made to St. Petersburg Volunteer Fire Dept., P.O. Box 81, St. Petersburg, PA 16054.For additional information or to send a condolence, please visit www.hilefh.com.