Jerry Longo Jaquinta

Tuesday, November 16, 2021.

Jerry was born June 30, 1946 in Fort Lauderdale.

Jerry graduated from Fort Lauderdale high school in 1964. He served in the US Navy in Bethesda MD, Guantanamo Bay Cuba, and in Vietnam, as a medic.

After the Navy, Jerry began attending the University of Miami with aspirations of becoming a doctor. But with his father having a heart attack in the 70's, Jerry left UM to come help his parents run their restaurant "Papa Fiori's", which was located in the Cove in Deerfield Beach, and began attending Florida Atlantic University.

After meeting a Boca Raton Police officer at a neighbor's party, he was so enthralled by the stories this officer told him, he went on a "ride-along" with him one evening. Jerry was hooked! He left school and attended the police academy in 1975. Jerry worked in many different divisions in the department before being promoted to Sergeant. He was a legend on the midnight shift! A true mentor and leader, he was respected by many (yet often feared for his stern demeanor)! Eventually, those who worked for him learned he was tough on them because he wanted them to learn to be the very best officers they could be!

Jerry was also a ham radio operator and achieved the highest level license, "Amateur Extra Class", of which he was very proud. Although the ham radio became somewhat less popular with the advancement of the internet, he spent many years with this hobby, with a 30 foot antenna on the side of the house!

Later, his other hobbies were photography and Aikido, where he made several good friends.

A memorial gathering and service for Jerry will be held Friday, December 17, 2021 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Babione - Kraeer Funeral Home, 1100 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, FL 33432.

Food will be shared in a reception from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.babionesouthflorida.com for the JAQUINTA family.