David Mahaffey

David Mahaffey (secular name Sterry David Mahaffey Jr. (25 May 1952 – 27 November 2020)) was the Bishop of Sitka and Alaska from 2014 to 2020.^[2]

His Grace David The Right Reverend
Bishop of Sitka and Alaska
Archdiocese	Orthodox Church in America Diocese of Alaska
See	Alaska
Installed	16 October 2013
Term ended	27 November 2020
Predecessor	Nicholas (Soraich)
Successor	Alexei (Trader)
Orders
Ordination	12 April 1981 (diaconate) 31 July 1993 (priesthood)
Consecration	21 February 2014
Personal details
Born	25 May 1952 Altoona, Pennsylvania
Died	27 November 2020 (aged 68) Indianapolis, Indiana
Denomination	Eastern Orthodox
Spouse	Karen Mahaffey ​ ​ (m. 1973; died 2007)​ [1]
Children	4
Alma mater	University of Scranton Saint Tikhon's Seminary

Biography

Bishop David was born Sterry David Mahaffey Jr. on May 25, 1952, in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He was raised Methodist. In 1970 he studied at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania where he met his wife, Karen Meterko. They were married on May 5, 1973 and had between them four children together.^[1][2]

On 1997, he received a Master of Divinity from Saint Tikhon's Seminary. In 2003 he received Bachelor's in Theology and Philosophy from the University of Scranton and a Master of Arts in theology at the same school.^[2][3] In 2007 his wife Karen died from melanoma at the age of 55.

On September 15, 2012, he was nominated for the seat of Bishop of Alaska. He was tonsured a rasophore on September 23, 2012, and on February 21, 2014, he was consecrated as Bishop of Alaska at Saint Innocent Cathedral in Anchorage, Alaska.^[4] As bishop David called for spiritual growth and unity.^[5] In October 2014 he oversaw a church built in Kenya.^[6]

Bishop David died on November 27, 2020, of renal cancer.^[2][7] He was succeeded by Alexei of Bethesda.