Janina Jean Toscano

Born on March 4, 1943, Janina was the second child of Konstanty and Genevieve Szwaba. She was born in Iwje (pronounced “E - V - YAH”), Poland. She would go on to be one of nine siblings, Alfreda, Chester, Stanley, Henry, Donna, Victor, Teresa and Carol. In March of 1959, when she was 16 years old, the family boarded a flight to Idlewild Airport (now John F. Kennedy) and emigrated to the United States of America.

Upon arriving, she took a job sewing by doing piece work at a factory. She commented that she always enjoyed tailoring, never thought of it as work and would continue with it her whole life. As was her good nature and helpful way, she would create clothing for her family, whether it was a dress for her younger sister Donna, altering or cuffing her sibling’s clothes or, later on, stitching her two rowdy boys torn clothing.

While attending night school to learn English she would meet Ciro Toscano, a handsome (as she would often say) Italian man. Smitten with each other, they would date for a few years and finally Marry in 1967. They moved near his family to an apartment on Sackman street in East New York. Their first son, Luigi, arrived in the summer of 1968. They then took a trip to Italy so Ciro could introduce his new Bride to his many relatives still in the “old Country”.

In 1970, after scrimping and saving, they purchased a home in the Bergan Beach section of Brooklyn. They moved near Ciro’s sister, Margaret and her family, his brother, Vincent and his family and on the same block as Ciro’s parents, Luigi and Anna, his brother John, as well as his sister, Maria and her family. With all of his family and her parents and siblings all living close, they would pass the years together with love, parties and support for each other in this large extended family. While money would sometimes be tight, love was always abundant.

In the summer of 1975, that love would provide them with another son, Vincent Ciro. Despite the drop in income, she quit her job and devoted herself to being a stay at home Mom. She would raise her two boys with love and inspiration. Teaching them by example, what it meant to be kind and selfless. She would patch up skinned knees and console her boys when life was tough. She would struggle through their unwillingness for homework, act as Den Mother for her son’s Cub Scout pack or attend multiple Mass’s when her son was acting as an Alter boy. Attending all school functions to guide them and encourage them and always, always keep them well fed. All the while, being her husband Ciro’s enthusiastic companion and life partner. These days were filled with love and happiness.

In 1990, She and Ciro would move the family to Boca Raton, Florida. Ciro obtained a transfer from working at Kennedy Airport to Miami Airport so the family could enjoy the warm weather and slower lifestyle of the Sunshine State. She once again took a job, as the boys were now older, providing tailoring for Men’s suits at J.C. Penny. Over the next two years as she was enjoying her new life in Florida and planning for her husband’s early retirement, she was struck by tragedy. In June of 1992, her husband of 25 years, Ciro, unexpectedly passed away. Bereaved beyond measure and still tasked with raising 15-year-old Vincent to adulthood, she displayed her usual strength and resilience and scraped herself up, learned how to drive for the first time at the age of 50, stayed in her and her husband's new dream hometown and prospered. She made close friends, like Genevieve and Sharon with whom she enjoyed fun times, parties, movies, dinners and long talks. She would always host Christmas Eve for all her friends and family.

She watched as her older son, Luigi, would marry. Her and her new daughter in law, Sylvia, would develop an extremely close bond and friendship. Her happiness only multiplied when Luigi and Sylvia provided her with two beautiful granddaughters, Sarah Emily and Samantha Rose. Then her baby boy, Vincent, would also marry and once again, she would come to have a close bond and friendship with her new daughter in law, Teresa. Vincent and Teresa would further fill her life with joy by bringing in two more beautiful grandchildren to her growing family, Isabella Janina and Alexander Ciro. This is when her true-life calling was exposed, that of Grandma! She would then use her endless strength and energy and loving soul to help raise and nurture all 4 Grandkids. She was their constant companion and endless cheerleader. Always front and center at every school award or show, sporting event or Halloween parade, in most cases, making the costume. Her constant smile and laugh are imprinted on their souls. She adored them and they in turn, adored her.

Her strength and resilience were again tested in 2015 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She, with her characteristic good nature, tough as nails attitude and unending strength, beat it into submission, proudly being a breast cancer survivor. Unfortunately, in May of 2020, she was diagnosed with a separate brain cancer and surrounded by her loving family, she passed away in her home on July 20, 2020 at the age of 77. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ciro, her parents, Konstanty and Genevieve, her in laws, Luigi and Anna, her beloved sisters and brothers, Alfreda, Chester, Henry, Victor and Teresa, her brothers in law, Tony and Eddie, her husband’s brother, Bruno, brother in law, Luigi and sister in law, Domenica. She is survived by her sons Luigi and his wife Sylvia, Vincent and his wife Teresa, her adoring grandchildren, Sarah, Samantha, Isabella and Alexander, her brother and sisters and spouses, Stanley and Anna, Helen, Melody, Donna and Carol, her husband’s brothers and sisters and spouses, Vincent and Marianna, Maria, Margaret and John, John and Barbara, and her many nieces and nephews, who she always kept track of their birthdays, lives and dreams. She was a wonderful and remarkable woman and the best wife, daughter, sister, mother, in law, aunt or friend that anyone could be lucky enough to have in their life. Her imprint on all of her families and friends’ lives cannot be overstated and her light and kind spirit will be greatly missed. A truly religious woman, who followed Christ’s teachings and was a servant to all in need of help or simple kindness, she will sit with the Lord in Heaven surrounded by all who loved her.