Parlee Pathway Taking Shape At Penn Medicine Doylestown Health

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Something special will be taking shape at Penn Medicine Doylestown Health.

Plans are moving forward for the Parlee Pathway, an accessible walking trail designed for patients, visitors, employees, and the entire community. The pathway is named in honor of Joan and her late husband, Don Parlee.

According to the hospital, the pathway will offer "a place to pause, breathe, and heal" while garden spaces and bird feeders "reflect Joan Parlee’s love of gardening and her late husband Don’s passion for birdwatching."

The project will honor the Parlee family’s decades-long commitment to the hospital and their belief that "caring for health also means caring for the whole person."

Joan Parlee. (Penn Medicine Doylestown Health)

Dr. Parlee served as a radiologist for 43 years and helped grow the hospital’s radiology department from one to 20 radiologists. He also established its School of Radiologic Technology. In addition, Dr. Parlee was a veteran of the Vietnam War, earning a bronze star for his service.

He was also president of the Bucks County Medical Society, vice chair of the Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, and for ten years, a delegate to the American Medical Association.

Once complete, the Parlee Pathway will offer a peaceful retreat — at work, between appointments, or during a daily walk — creating connection, wellness, and gratitude with every step, the hospital said.

“We are truly grateful for the Parlee family’s support of a space that embodies their shared values of healing, generosity, and community," said Laura Wortman, vice president and chief advancement officer at Doylestown Health.