First woman to become an Episcopal priest in Florida dies in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — The former nun, Rev. Mother Davette Turk, left the Catholic church for love and to start a family. She later became the first Episcopal priest in the state of Florida.

The rev. passed away on July 19, at the age of 87 after battling with Alzheimer’s disease. The Reverand was an avid social activist who marched with Martin Luther King Jr. and was known as the “Mother Teresa of Jacksonville.” She also co-founded the 1990s movement, Reconcile Jacksonville. This movement worked to bring many white and Black churches together.

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“I believe in shaking things up. Jesus shook a lot of people up, and I believe in shaking people up for the sake of love,” she once said. “Jesus went uphill. Jesus was always pushing the limit.”

Reverand Turk’s life will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on August 19 at All Saint’s Episcopal Church.

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Click here to learn more about the life of Davette Lois Turk, and read her obituary.

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