A member of the WKEI family. Father Jerry Rafalko, who spent years talking to us about processing grief via his role as a grief counselor with OSF Hospice, passed away over the weekend. Father Jerry was 68 years old. Born in Poland and ordained in 1980, Father Jerry came to Kewanee in 1990 as the Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish PNCC in Kewanee. He remained there until moving up in the church and splitting time in Chicago and Peoria while still occasionally returning to Kewanee. Father Jerry was beloved among his parishioners but he became beloved by the entirety of the Kewanee community when he began appearing on WKEI with Bob McKee many years ago. He would continue to appear on WKEI through early 2018 before signing off to focus on his new duties within the church. During his time appearing on WKEI, Father Jerry’s personality and warmth only grew as his he became the voice of dealing with loss. His compassionate and thoughtful words provided comfort and counsel to thousands during his monthly appearances on the show, even counseling our very own Morning Show host, Sean Kernan, following the death of Sean’s mother. “It’s a memory I will never forget” says Sean. “At the time, Father Jerry barely knew me, but he saw my pain and he sought to help me heal.” “His compassion moves me to this day.” “From there, once I became the full time host on WKEI, Father Jerry and I had some of the most wonderful. frank, and thoughtful conversations about grief, loss, and healing.” “I’m incredibly proud of those broadcasts, and honored to have had the chance to share that time with Father Jerry.”
Father Jerry’s legacy is one of love, compassion, good humor, and unending charm. More than anything, it’s a legacy of undying. enthusiastic faith. He loved people, he loved helping people, and his joy in helping people radiated through the years in his church and on the radio. From his obituary, courtesy of Nelson Funeral Home, “Father Jerry will be lying in State, Sunday, July 23, 2023 from 3 to 7 p.m., Monday, July 24th from 2 to 8 p.m. with Holy Vespers celebrated at 7 p.m. and Tuesday, July 25th from 9 a.m. until time of Mass, 10:30 a.m., at All Saints Cathedral PNCC 9201 W. Higgins Ave., Chicago, IL 60631. Interment Private. In lieu of flowers, donations will be used to benefit a future scholarship in the Bishop’s name or a donation to the Youth Fund of the Polish National Catholic Church would be appreciated. For information, Nelson Funeral Home at 847-823-5122.”
