Josephine L. Orlando

Josephine Lucy Orlando, nee Rossetti, was born in Sant’Angelo Di Lombardi, Italy (a province of Naples) on September 24, 1927. She emigrated to the United States at the age of 3 with her father Carmine, her mother Incoranata, and her sisters Antoinette, and Candida.

Josephine lived with her mother and father (and also Lucy, her third sister) in the Midwood section of Brooklyn, New York and worked as a seamstress upon high school graduation. She married, Joseph Orlando (deceased, 2006) in April of 1953 and had two daughters, Susan (Kerr), and Regina. After raising her family, Josephine returned to the working-world and worked for the Bank of New York, in downtown New York City, in their computer processing department. Afterwards, Josephine and Joseph purchased a small liquor store, on the street where they lived, until they both retired.

Cooking for big family gatherings on all the major holidays, or whenever friends would stop by the house, was a great pleasure for her. Many called her “mom” or “Aunt Josie” even if they weren’t officially one of her children or any of her cherished nieces or nephews, or great nieces or nephews, as she had many! She had the gift of making someone feel special and always welcomed.

Josephine lived in the same house for 60 years, before moving to Tamarac, Florida in 2019 to be closer to her only grandchild, Nicole. She lived in Wickshire Assisted Living (formerly, Atria) until moving to Alternative Assisted Living Facility in Coral Springs for the last months of her life.

Josephine passed into the loving safety of her Lord on Thursday, April 24, 2025. She is survived by her daughter, Susan, her son-in-law, Daniel Kerr, daughter Regina, granddaughter Nicole (Salinsky) Abend and her husband Gregory Abend, and their children, Isabella Josephine, and Joseph Gregory.

In lieu of flowers, donations in remembrance of Josephine to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC.org) would be appreciated.

Visitation will be on Thursday, May 1st, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the CUSIMANO & RUSSO FUNERAL HOME, 2005 West 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY. Funeral Mass to be celebrated on Friday, 9:45 AM at Our Lady of Grace Roman Catholic Church, 430 Avenue W, Brooklyn, NY. Interment to follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY.