Josette A. Bordiga

Josette Ann Bordiga, age 52, of Weehawken, died Saturday, January 15, 2010 at Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck, after a long illness. Daughter of the late Arthur A. Bordiga and Rose Brusco Bordiga, Josette was born in

Hoboken and was a lifelong resident of Weehawken. She attended New

York University where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and graduated

magna cum laude in 1980 with a degree in English. She also obtained an

MA in English from NYU. ,

Shortly after graduating from NYU, Josette began her teaching career at

her alma mater, Holy Rosary Academy in Union City, where she taught

high school English until the school closed in 1996. Josette was passionate

about English literature, especially Shakespeare and Jane Austen, and was

equally passionate about her students, maintaining lifelong friendships with

many of them. She was an inspiring and enthusiastic teacher who was

loved by her students. Following the closure of Holy Rosary Academy,

Josette taught briefly at Bergen Catholic High School before illness forced

her early retirement. In recent years she continued her involvement with the

teaching profession by tutoring and by acting as a mentor to those of her

former students who became teachers themselves.

Outside of her chosen profession, Josette was an active parishioner at St.

Lawrence Church in Weehawken where she served as a Eucharistic

minister, a lector and a director of the Women's Cornerstone Retreat. She

was also an active member of the Mid Atlantic branch of NF Inc. which

supports those affected by neurofibromatosis through education, advocacy,

coalitions, raising public awareness and supporting research for a

treatment and a cure of this little-known disease from which she suffered.

Josette was the dear sister ofAndrea Brewer and her husband, David and,

the devoted aunt of James, Caroline and Geoffrey Brewer. She also leaves

behind her 7 beloved cats and many close friends who along with her family will miss her greatly.