The Rev. Henry S. Preneta, 93, a retired priest of the Diocese of Greensburg and a former resident of Butler, died Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019, at St. Anne Home in Greensburg.

He had served as a priest for 52 years.

Father Henry was born Feb. 14, 1926, in Glogow, Poland, and was the son of the late Josef and Maria Sobol Preneta.

He attended primary school in Poland and later served four years in the U.S. Army.

He went on to graduate from SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Mich., and was ordained to the priesthood May 13, 1967, at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg.

He served in several parishes in the Greensburg Diocese until 1973, when he was granted a leave of absence to obtain a master's degree in psychology at Ravishankar University, Raipur, India, and assist at the Jeeyodaya Social and Leprosy Rehabilitation Center.

Upon his return to the United States, he was assigned as pastor to a number of parishes, including the former St. Mary, Our Lady of the Snows in Parker. In 1979, Father Henry was released from the Diocese of Greensburg to serve as chaplain for Veterans Administration medical centers in Battle Creek, Mich., and Butler.

While assigned to the Butler VA from 1983 until his retirement from active ministry in 1999, Father Henry resided at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church.

PRENETA — The funeral Mass for the Rev. Henry S. Preneta, who died Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019, was celebrated Tuesday in Greensburg and he was buried in the priests section of Greensburg Catholic Cemetery.Memorial donations may be made to St. Anne Home, 685 Angela Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601.Please sign the guest book at www.martinfh.net.

Thank You for your service.