Josephine Di Staulo

JOSEPHINE Di STAULO passed away on January 12, 2019 with family by her side. Born in Casacalenda, Italy on September 25, 1926 to Rosa and Michele Maiorano, beloved wife of Jerry (Gennaro) Di Staulo (deceased), mother of Charles (Christine Alfidi) and Michelle Magazine (Victor), grandmother of Anna, Alex and David Di Staulo, Anthony, Dominic and Regina Magazine, sister of Mary Burgess (Harry) (both deceased), and Aida Di Staulo (Tony), aunt of Rosemarie Taylor (Mark), Anthony (Suzanne) and Larry Burgess, Roxanne DeSantis (Dennis), Rene Bolton (Bruce), Mark, Michael, Mario and Marietta Wallace.

She emigrated to the United States in August of 1932, making her way through Ellis Island with her mother, Rosa and her older sister Mary. Josephine was a woman of strong faith, and devoted to her family. A woman with a lifelong devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and to praying the rosary, it was fitting that she met the love of her life, Jerry, who she was married to for 64 years, at the Feast of the Assumption in Cleveland's Little Italy. She achieved the American Dream with Jerry by working together and building a strong family business, Di Staulo Landscaping, where she handled all of the accounting, billing and payroll. In addition, she was very active in her church and as a volunteer at St. Clare School in Lyndhurst. Through all of this, she developed a strong circle of friends that formed the "Circle Club," who remained together for years after all of their children had grown. She was also a life-long member of the Maria SS. Della DiFesa club. she loved being surrounded by her family and cooking traditional Italian Food. Her grandchildren loved her special "star soup with meatballs" and "sprinkle cookies" which she always made just for them. She loved to cook for her children's college friends who frequented their home for her home-cooked meals and traditional Italian desserts. She is legendary for bringing her own pots and pans to cook full course pasta meals for her son and close to a dozen of his friends while at college. No one ever left hungry....for days!

In retirement, she spent her time traveling with her husband and being with her 6 grandchildren whom she adored, and being a proud gramma celebrating their accomplishments and always wanting "news" about them and from them about their lives. "Auntie Jo," "Jo," "Josie" to her many friends and "Gramma Young and Beautiful" to her grandchildren she will be missed for the indelible influence she has had on the lives she touched. She has left behind a rich legacy for generations to follow.

Entombment All Souls Cemetery. Mass of Christian Burial Thursday, Church and Time later. FRIENDS MAY CALL AT THE FIORITTO FUNERAL HOME 5236 MAYFIELD RD., LYNDHURST (EAST OF RICHMOND RD.) 3-7 p.m. WEDNESDAY.