Rev. William Stanton | Teacher, pastor, 83

The Rev. William J. Stanton, 83, a former high school mathematics teacher and pastor emeritus of Seven Dolors Parish in Wyndmoor, died Wednesday of renal failure at St. Francis Country House in Darby.

Father Stanton, who grew up in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia and was a graduate of St. Joseph's Preparatory School, took a circuitous route to the priesthood, said his longtime friend, Msgr. John J. Miller.

He attended Notre Dame University and joined the Navy in World War II, serving as an ensign in Manila and Shanghai. He entered the seminary after his discharge.

"He always felt that he had a vocation," Miller said.

Father Stanton was ordained by Archbishop John F. O'Hara in 1952 and began a long career that took him to several parishes, including St. Francis of Assisi, St. Richard, St. Ambrose and Holy Angels, all in Philadelphia.

For many years he taught calculus, advanced geometry and algebra at Roman Catholic and Cardinal Dougherty High Schools. He later served as chaplain at Immaculata College and at the Temple University Newman Center.

In 1989, he was appointed pastor of Seven Dolors and was named pastor emeritus in 2000.

Cardinal Justin Rigali will say a Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. today at Seven Dolors in Wyndmoor, preceded by a viewing at 9 a.m.