With Sadness…
It is with sadness that we announce that Father Jerry Kaywell died peacefully in his sleep last night. As he often said, the veil is very thin between heaven and earth. Father Jerry has now joined the God he loved with his whole being and all the saints he cherished. We will keep you informed as more information becomes available. We pray now for our pastor and friend Jerome Kaywell, and we ask him to intercede for us with God and the saints in heaven.
Father Jerry’s Funeral Mass will be on March 12, at 10:00 a.m. A wake service is scheduled for the day preceding, Wednesday March 11 from 4pm-7pm. Watch our calendar on this site for updates or changes.
The Funeral Mass will be live-steamed (subject to bandwidth reliability) on Thursday, March 12 at https://sacredheartfl.org/live-stream/
OMG, Jim, I am a shocked. I last saw Jerry last summer when he celebrated my uncle Jimmy Whitmores funeral in Okeechobee City. We exchanged a few messages and vowed to get together. Of course, like most old folks like us, we didn’t do it. Please tell everyone that knows us, the Macys, that we are all very saddened at the news. I often think of your family, of us growing up together, St. Ann’s and especially about a beach scene painted by your mom, Grace, which was hung over our sofa on Belmonte Road, for most of my youth. Your old house on, I think Dixie and Okeebhobee. We had lots of fun and good times growing up. The Kaywells all have always meant a lot to me. Saint Jerry, intercede for us all.
We all loved him here and may the angels speed him into Paradise
Teacher. thank you for bringing me back to the Catholic Faith and showing me what it is like to live and breathe the Love of Jesus. The entire O’Connell Family will miss you and your message greatly. My finger is now pointing up to heaven to you and our Lord Jesus Christ. I love you with all of my heart, Father Jerry!
Father Jerry I know you will be with all of us in spirit so sad you left us so soon saw you a few weeks ago on a Monday 8:30am mass rest in peace my friend god bless you.
The Finamore Family
We were so blessed to have Father Jerry as our pastor for ten years. We are heartbroken hearing of his passing. Imagine the wonderful things he is doing for us now! Our love and prayers are with the Sacred Heart Family.
We met Father Jerry while Father was staioned in Cape Coral. One night I sat with Father Jerry for 3 hours discussing my wife’s and I inferitity problems. When I was leaving Father Jerry looked at me and said don’t worry something is going to happen soon. One week later we adopted my infant son. A year and a half later, we adopted my infant daughter. Father Jerry had a private baptism for both of my children and wrote a song for both of them. When my daughter was supposed to be baptized, Father Jerry was in LA for treatment for cancer. He flew back to Florida just for the ceremony. We tried to see Father Jerry after we moved to NJ, but with no luck. Now my wife and I are broken hearted that we did not try harder to see him. There is no one in this world that has helped me out as much as Father Jerry even without talking to him, he was always there in my heart and Father Jerry gave me strength to go forward no matter what problems arrived. Vanessa & Gil Gibbs will never forget you.Love you and will pray to you forever. You are always there in my heart. I hope we see each other again. A very special Priest, teacher, and Friend. Thank you Father Jerry and I will listen to your music forever.
So sorry to hear about Father Jerry’s passing, Diana and I were shocked! Our thoughts are with you and your family!
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Mrs. Kaywell is dancing with the angels now.
God bless you all.
Paulette Lewis & the Phil Lewis families
So saddened by father Jerry’s passing. Have had him as a pastor for all the years he was here. Such a compassionate and caring priest. What a legacy his has left here. He will be watching us from heaven and we will always know we can talk to him.
I just don’t have any words right now. I’m in shock!
Heaven is a brighter place today with Fr. Jerry there! God Bless you and my you RIP!
My husband Brad and I have been snowbird Sacred Heart parishioners for 4 seasons. Fr. Jerry and this church were the main reason that we decided to make Florida our permanent home starting this season. We are so disappointed that we didn’t get the opportunity to spend a summer season with Fr. Jerry. His style of preaching opened my heart to the Catholic Church and inspired me to become Catholic. Having the opportunity to spend some 1 on 1 time with Fr. Jerry has led Brad to a personal relationship with God for the first time after over 50 years as a Catholic. We have been blessed to experience his love and hugs. We will forever miss his special way of touching our souls with his homilies. He left us way too soon but at least he left us with Fr. Steven
I was just informed of my dear friend, Fr Jerry’s passing. I am in absolute shock. I was scheduled to be in Punta Gorda next week, and we were planning to have dinner together. I have to believe that there is something quietly profound that his death occurred on the first Sunday of Lent, a time when the Church is already praying more intentionally and reflecting on eternal life. His legacy is not just what he taught in his beautiful sermons, but how he lived. He was a man of conviction and believed what he preached. His counsel and his friendship were a gift that I will always treasure. He leaves a legacy that will long endure at Sacred Heart. With love and deep sadness
While I am In shock and extremely sad by Father Jerry’s passing I have no doubt he is dancing and singing glorious songs of worship with the Angels choir. He was such a tender soul, he truly embodied the Gospel and lived in Jesus’s footsteps. He did not just preach, he led by example, with love and compassion just like Jesus did. He will be missed terribly but his legacy will carry on forever . Thank you Father Jerry for everything.
We are so sorry for the passing of Father Jerry. We arrived in Punta Gorda the same year as Fr. Jerry. We loved his service, his concerts, his faith which everyone who knew him felt it flow from him. His connection with all parishioners, both young and old was a joy to him. Father Jerry will be missed by everyone who ever met him. No one can ever fill his shoes. Hope you are making more music in Heaven.
Our hearts are heavy today. We lost a guiding light of our parish. Father Jerry was the kindest priest- steadfast, gentle and endlessly generous with his love for every parishioner. His presence we will carry forever. May he rest in God’s eternal peace.
when we were snowbirds in Punta Gorda, we would go to mass and look at each other and say ” who is this priest?”…. he was so full of life and joy, could preach a sermon with meaning for everyone and smiled , always smiled!! since we have lived here full time these last 6 years we smiled too every time we went to one of his masses!! what a lovely human!! what a follower of christ!! what a walking example of Christ in the world !! we were blessed to have him at sacred heart!! we will miss him terribly!
I met Jerry some 10 years ago when living in Punta Gorda. As a Franciscan, we quickly bonded and became friends. For me personally, Jerry was remarkably the face of God. He enabled me to experience the Lord like never before! For this I will always treasure our friendship and the impact of his priestly ministry in my life.
The last thing I said to Father Jerry a few weeks ago after mass was, “God be with you.” And he said, “ He always is.” Now, that is more true than ever. There is joy in heaven, but sadness for us all at Sacred Heart.
You all knew him as Father Jerry, but to me he is my Cousin and my Godfather.
When I was a little girl, he always greeted me with, “How is my beautiful Goddaughter?” I would just laugh at his silliness and remind him that I had a name even though I did prefer him using the title Goddaughter over my name.
I miss you Cousin!
I love you with all of my heart.
Fr Jerry was at St. Andrew in Cape Coral when my 4 boys were attending St Andrew school. We attended Mass there as well. His homilies were so moving and his music always uplifting. Even when he returned from cancer treatments in California he was still smiling and his positivity was amazing. My heart is broken and sad but I’m comforted knowing the joy he is experiencing for eternity with his Savior. Welcome home good and faithful servant! You are sadly missed and the impact you made on this earth will not be forgotten.
Angel 😇Father Jerry we always miss you summers when we go back up north But look forward to you and your Masses always learning and in a joyful spirit always touching love you Father Jerry Loved your Rome experiences RIP 🙏Elaine and Al
Today we are devastated to find out that our beloved pastor Father Jerry had passed away. He was really sent by our Lord to Sacred Heart a church that, he personably built after it was totally destroyed by hurricane Charlie. Every inch of our new church was throughly thought out with the love Jerry had for our Lord as the shepherd of his flock. My wife Michela loved him because he spoke Italian to her and never forgot her name when he saw her in church. He also loved her home made Tiramisu. From this day forward, when we both enter Sacred Heart we will always have a vision of Father Jerry in our eyes next to the mosaic of the Sacred Heart in front of us. We know that,in this moment, Jerry will be seated with our Lord at his table. We will always pray for him.
Michael & Michela Lepore
Fr. Jerry, my dear friend. Where do I start. I first met you at St. John the Evangelist, in Naples, FL back in 2000, I believe. You became a very cherished friend to me and my family. You baptized our youngest son, and you married our daughter and son-in-law. You forever changed how I looked at my relationship with God. We had many a discussion about the Lord…life…the good and bad….as well as death. You picked me up, when I was down, and inspired me in so many ways. I am at a total loss of words. My heart aches, yet rejoices…because I know you are in Heaven with Jesus. I look forward to seeing you, my dear friend, some day in Heaven. Rest in Peace.
With love and prayers always,
Brian
How blessed and honored to be able to call Jerry a friend and brother. We attended St. Vincent de Paul Seminary together. Father Jeff and I shared many but too few meals in Punta Gorda and at our home.
Jesus said to Martha: “Whoever believes in me and dies will live… but whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11
I am so sad and broken, but I know Jerry didn’t die. Our hope is to join him and share our friendship again… and in an odd way… even today.
I love you Jerry and thank God for every breath and your friendship and love.
Ron Camarda
My regret is that Father Jerry did not know when he was alive how much he was loved and admired. He knew he was loved but not to the extent that he was. Nor could he have known the scope of the influence he had on people. His position will be filled but he himself is irreplaceable. We were blessed to have had him for the amount of time we did.
I will always remember Father Jerry. Very shocked by his sudden passing.
I’m very saddened by Fr Jerry’s sudden death and I offer my sincere sympathy to his parish and to his family. I met Fr. Jerry way back in 1989 when I arrived from upstate NY as a seminarian at St Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach. I brought a painting of the Virgin Mary with me back then. The painting was given to my mother as a gift some 35 years earlier in 1955 when my mother was a young nurse living in Florida for a brief time and working at Good Samaritan Hospital. Mom took care of a woman who was very sick and came close to dying! This woman had a great devotion to Our Lady, just as my mother, and painted an image of the Virgin Mary for mom as a token of her appreciation and their shared faith. So I was astonished after arriving at St Vincent de Paul to find out that the painting of the Virgin was given to my mother by Jerry’s mom, Grace Kaywell. So, when Jerry was ordained, I thought it appropriate to give that same painting of the Virgin to Jerry as an ordination gift! That painting was an amazing symbol of our mothers’ faith and became a bond of friendship between Jerry and I for over 35 years! Jerry and I stayed in touch on a regular basis as recently as this past January! I’ll miss him dearly. I’ll miss his exuberant and contagious faith in our Lord. Yet, I’ll always be connected to him through that painting, which he would often describe as a “God-wink!” May you rest in peace dear friend and pray for all of us on this side of life!
We should compare stories. I am the baby of the family whose. Birth was responsible for my mother almost dying.
Fr Jerry came to Sacred Heart before Charlie in 2004, when we did.,From Naples .
Living in Port Charlotte I am so grateful God led us to Sacred Heart. My husband shortly after converted to the Catholic Faith. Fr Jerry was a true parish priest.
He loved his people and his people loved him.. I will forever hold him in my heart. He is happy now and pain free. May he now rest in peace with our Lord.
As a member of St. Thomas More Parish, Sarasota. Thanks to Fr. Don Henry we all had the privilege of meeting you and enjoying your visit, music and wonderful talks. Heaven is a little more brighter because they now get to hear your beautiful voice forever. Peace to you Fr. Jerry and your family. Sincerely P. Cucci
Fathers Jerry made me want to go to Church more than ever before. He and Father Stephen worked so well together. I called them Batman and Robin. Actually could have been Abbot and Costello. He will be sorely missed. What a joy it has been to cross his path. Condolences to his family.
I am glad he is not in pain any longer, but this is such a profound loss for us all.
Brother Tom and his wife Jane were devout followers of Father Jerry – they convinced me to take vacation time from work to visit if for nothing else to go to Sacred Heart – see the mosaic of Jesus and be WOWED by the best priest they ever met. I did just that – his sermon brought me to tears as i was personally challenged. I approached Father Jerry for communion – following the amen – suddenly – without thinking – “Father I’m lost please pray for me”. Father took my arm – pulled me aside – stared into my eyes which seemed forever – with parishioners eyes fixed on us – “you are not lost – there’s a woman that needs you – God will see you thru – you know what to do” – clarity to help a friend with cancer who was given 6 months – Father rushed to the emergency room almost 2 years later to baptize her – whispered gor several minutes in her ear – a smile and a calm until GOD took his daughter. I continued to seek out Father and sent cards during during his trying ordeal – I was planning a trip for Easter – I’m so sad – GOD has a plan for each of us – part of mine was being privileged to have been in the presence of the best priest of my life.
Rest in Peace Father Jerry; you sincerely will be missed my friend. I always enjoyed – and was inspired by – my brief talks with you as you walked back up-the-aisle after Sunday Mass. I am in shock……
He was heaven sent. ✨
Now they have him back.
We can hear the Lord saying “Well done my faithful servant. Welcome Home!”
Dear Father Jerry, both Ann and I are in the state of shock and yet, we have very mixed emotions. You have left us to go to your eternal reward. Even though we loved you with our whole heart and soul apparently, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior loved you more and needed your help in heaven. You were HIS Ambassador and Apostle here on earth.
Ann and I first met you at St. John the Evangelist, in Naples, FL back in 1996………30 years ago! We became friends back then…….including with Paul Todd!. Today our heart aches yet rejoices at the same time. We know that you’re in Heaven with Jesus. We know how you loved Jesus and all the Saints. Father Jerry, as far as we are concerned, you are already a Saint that we can pray to, and ask you for your intercession with our Lord Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother. Father, thank you for being our friend, spiritual advisor, role model, counselor and example of Jesus Christ living here on earth. We also loved seeing and hearing your message ever week for two and a half years during the COVID. God has blessed us with knowing you and appreciating your presence in our lives.
Thank you for being our friend in spiritual guidance. Thank you, Father Jerry for being an example of Christ living on earth.
We thank you, Lord.
RIP,
Ann and Morrie Doyle
Naples, Florida
I’ve only lived here for 1 year. He was an impressive devout servant of God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
I was truly blest to have encountered his ministry in my lifetime. Hopefully, through God’s grace and mercy, we will meet again……..
God called you home and you are in heaven with no more pain. You will be missed by thousands from Sacred Heart, but now have eternal happiness.
He was a power of example to all of us. He truly lived in the moment, with gratitude. He showed us all how to live and die. And not be afraid.
When he was assigned to Sacred Heart Church, he said he encountered the same Sacred Heart statue he had seen in the cemetary where he had made his plans for his final resting place. I said, “Well, Father, that must mean you are to bury yourself in this parish!” He appreciated that idea and did just that until he went to his ultimate home.
So sorry to hear that Father Jerry has passed. He was a wonderful friend.
I have known him for so many years. He will never be forgotten. He was so dedicated to the church but he was also a very friendly social person. He loved to have fun. I’ll always remember you my dear friend. My heart and prayers are with you. Rest in peace!
I just moved to Punta Gorda last summer from Atlanta. When I attended my first mass at Sacred Heart I knew I had found my new church. Father Jerry’s service was so moving, he carried such a joyous, happy, vibrant presence and that big smile! I loved listening to him. I am shocked, stunned and so terribly sad for such a great loss for our parish. There will never be anyone else like him. He is now home with Jesus and no more pain. Rest in peace! You will be missed forever.
We will miss you Fr. Jerry, the Vassou family is heartbroken!
You made us laugh and feel so loved every encounter we had with you!
Tammie, Glen, Nadia, Alan and Anjali ❤️🙏🏼
My wife, Mary, and I are heartbroken. Father Jerry was an exceptional human being. We will miss him tremendously. He touched us and the Sacred Heart community in a very special way. Whenever Father Jerry talked about death, it was with joy, not sadness. Because, he once said, death is the gateway to God’s home. So while we are brokenhearted, we also are happy for Father Jerry; he is where he longed to be… in the presence of our creator. God bless.
Fr. Jerry was with us at St. Andrews for a few years and did so much for our school. We loved his concerts. Hope he can do his singing still in the heavens Bless you Fr. Jerry
He was a wonderful person
‘Knock, knock, knocking on Heavens door.” Fr. Jerry was so spiritual during my wife’s illness. Rest in peace Fr. .
I really needed to take 3 deep breaths when I learned of this .
The Lords Pray says “ Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us “.
Fr. Jerry has nothing to worry about!
I’ll miss him
My heart goes out to the parishioners of Sacred Heart. You the full time attendees knew him the best. I only had a chance to attend mass 2 weeks a month over the last 19 months. Back in October 2025 I had the profound opportunity to have Fr Jerry hear my confession. This was shortly after he returned from the Vatican. In closing prior to releasing me, Fr Jerry gave me an Apostolic Absolution which was conferred to him by our Holy Father. Talk about uplifting, I felt such a relief with a change in my body as though something was removed and something inserted. Too soon Fr. Jerry, too soon. He was a unique person plus a very unique priest. May his soul and all the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace, Amen.
Fr. Jerry’s unbounding love for God shined through his every action, teaching, music and daily life. What an honor and privilege it was to work with him as a team while leading the youth closer to Christ through the weekly mass and ministry at St. John the Evangelist for our five year season. He was truly one of a kind that stood out with his uniqueness of spirit with joy and love for our Lord Jesus Christ, he was a blessing.
Fr. Jerry, As you sail through the veil that divides us I know you are shining like a bright star. Embraced by our Heavenly Fathers love. At peace. I am so grateful to have known you. The season we shared was a highlight in my and so many others life. Thank you for your devotion and genuine presence in our life. Mizpah❤️
I’m almost 86 so I’ve known many priests in my lifetime. I’ve loved only one other when I lived on the east coast of Fl. I’ve only known Fr Jerry since April 2023 but he always made me cry when he gave his homilies. They always touched my heart and it was as if he was talking to me personally. Hence the tears. I (like many others) was not ready to say goodbye…After many tears for 4 days I realized he was free from pain so I started rejoicing! We know where you are so R.I.P. My friend! 🙏
FR. JERRY WAS ‘ ONE OF A KIND’! He can never be replaced…
When I went to mass at Sacred Heart and father Jerry presided, I always felt that I was really blessed to be there. He made me feel that I really was in the presence of God.
Jerry was the reason I got up and went to church. You could truly understand him and he kept your attention.
As a seasonal resident for the last 10 years, I have been moved to tears on many occasions by Fr. Jerry’s homilies. He truly had a remarkable gift for sharing the word of God. Visiting family members always wanted to go to his masses, even those in the lapsed Catholic category.
My favorite memory of him was attending the get to know your parish tour. Four hours of Fr. Jerry and tales of hurricane, the mosaic , the deal on the organ, and special stories throughout the church, the hall and the rectory. He was captivating and transparent and made us feel proud to be a member of his congregation.
R.I. P good and faithful servant
Fr. Jerry was the best. I’m so pleased that his funeral is going to be live-streamed. Loved attending mass while in Punta Gorda in winters. His mass/messages got us through Covid times. When live-streaming was stopped after Covid we missed his mass along with the choir’s beautiful music. Thanks again for live-streaming.
Precious Memory of Father Jerry Kaywell (Baby Whisperer)
Every Sunday, Sacred Heart Church in Punta Gorda, Florida, becomes a warm haven filled with over 1,250 welcoming faces, fostering a sense of family. One Sunday was especially memorable because our adult daughter, Renee, joined us for Mass while visiting. During the sermon, a tiny infant started fussing and crying loudly, eliciting a mix of compassion, mild annoyance, and shared understanding from the congregation as the mother gently tried to soothe her child.
As Mom was about to leave the church, Father unexpectedly continued his sermon. With a warm smile, he walked down the center aisle, arms outstretched toward the baby in Mom’s arms. After a moment of hesitation, Mom handed the baby to him, and Father gently whispered soothing words to the infant. Surprisingly, the baby became quiet! It was as if Father were a human pacifier. The baby stayed calm in his arms for the rest of his 15-minute sermon.
When he finished, he walked back and handed the beautiful infant to a happy mom, who had her arm outstretched. Father made a human and spiritual connection with everyone that morning when God was present in the house. Without a doubt, it left an incredibly lasting impression on our adult daughter, Renée, and, most certainly, on Mommy. Father Jerry was Jesus’s spiritual proxy that morning. The one who says he remains in him should walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:6) And without a doubt, Fr. Jerry is resting in the loving arms of Jesus’s
Father Jerry I have admired for years but it was only recently that I came to know him personally. Sitting in his music studio at the party for the reopening of the rectory, he sought to get to know me by asking, “Do you have a nickname?” “Yes, JJ.” We riffed on it a bit and I knew we had made a connection. I treasure that good and holy man as a priest, pastor, and a loving person. I have sadness but joy too that he is free from pain and at home with the Lord. RIP Father Jerry. JJ .
Father Jerry U will be greatly MISSED and hard for someone else to fill your SHOES.
I have no words to say minus that the little time I knew him he was a great man I went to Scared Heart only 5 times because I’m from the Saint Paul church in arcadia but a huge follower of Scared Heart and Father Jerry always made me laugh and I felt safe going to that church. He will be sadly missed 😢
I lost my husband in 2017, and I looked for Livestream Masses every week! I was so Blessed to find Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Punta Gorda, Florida! What a True Inspiring Priest and the 12 Apostles, as he referred to his staff! Now, on March 15, 2026, I see that Fr. Jerry had passed! I watched the two days of Celebrating a Priest that touched my heart from the beginning! RIP Fr. Jerry, as I will continue Praying, as you talked the Talk, but more importantly, You Walked the Walk! Thank You! from Fort Worth, Texas!