The Rev. James M. Sayers, who served as pastor of the Parish of St. Joseph in downtown Homewood, has died in Naples, Fla. He was 82.
A funeral service will be conducted at the church, and Father Sayers will lie in state.
Details are pending.
Sayers served as pastor from July 1980 until July 2002 when the current pastor, Rev. Richard Kozak, was appointed. Sayers was last in Homewood in June 2012 to help the parish mark its 100th anniversary. Sayers was the sixth pastor for the parish.
According to the parish history, “During his tenure, Sayers was consumed with fulfilling the demands of running a large suburban parish, tending to the spiritual needs of his parishioners and overseeing the repair and upkeep of a large parish complex. The beautiful stained glass windows installed in the church during the summer and fall of 1983 are one of Father Sayers’ most visible legacies.”
During his retirement, Sayers was active in the Catholic community of Naples. He underwent a surgical procedure on Thursday, but developed complications afterward.
Contact Marilyn Thomas at [email protected]
