Father Robert J. McArtney

Father Robert J. McArtney, a retired diocesan priest, died July 23, 2017, at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo. He was 83 years old.

He was born Feb. 28, 1934, in Buffalo, to James and Madeline McArtney. He attended Niagara University and Our Lady of the Angels Seminary at NU, receiving a bachelor of arts degree, and then went on to receive a master of divinity degree from Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora. Father McArtney also studied in the clinical pastoral education program at St. Jude Center in Buffalo.

Father McArtney was ordained in 1960, by Bishop Joseph A. Burke, at St. Joseph New Cathedral in Buffalo. Shortly after, he served in missionary apostolates at St. Elizabeth in Cherry Creek and St. John the Evangelist in Sinclairville from 1960-61.

In 1961, he was named assistant pastor of Annunciation Parish in Buffalo, where he served until 1965. From 1965-76, he served in the same capacity at St. Brigid, Holy Cross and Holy Family parishes in Buffalo, and at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in North Evans.

In 1976, Father McArtney was named pastor of St. Frances Cabrini in Collins Center. Beginning in 1983, he concurrently fulfilled additional duties as a part-time chaplain at Gowanda Psychiatric Center until being named chaplain of Our Lady of Victory Hospital in Lackawanna in 1987.

He continued to serve as chaplain of OLV Hospital until 2002, also taking on additional responsibilities as chaplain of Mercy Hospital in Buffalo from 2000-04. He retired in 2004.

Father McArtney was chaplain/EMT for Highland Hose Fire Company in Derby and on the recreation/youth council for the town of Evans. He served as an American Red Cross disaster volunteer and shelter manager, and was on the board of directors of the Community Grief Center of Western New York.

He is survived by a niece, Barbara McArtney of Snyder, and a nephew, Kenneth (Carol) McArtney of Williamsville.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 27, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the Norman E. Gannon & Sons Funeral Home, 1075 Ridge Road in Lackawanna.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Bishop Richard J. Malone at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 28, at Our Lady of Victory Basilica. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Cheektowaga.